Too Tired to Stand
by ComicsGeek102
Summary: Jason Todd struggles to balance his unsteady life, but he seems to only fall deeper into the darkness. His thoughts become unstable as his family, friend and a overly persistent team push on his defenses threatening to change his life forever. sequel to Death is Overated Anyways. R
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I couldn't wait to post this :D sequel to Death is overrated anyways **

"Red! The gas tanks!" Roy yelled, from the second floor of the ware house, Jason jumped over a group of men coming at him and landed beside the door, "Fire in the hole!" He yelled. Roy jumped down beside him landing on someone who had gotten too close to him.

Red Hood lifted his arms and shot out at the flammable gas tank and it blew throwing a few men in different directions, Roy and Jason threw their shoulders into the door rolling out into the street as hot flames erupted from the door.

"Arsenal!" They jumped up to their feet as the other Roy and Green Arrow jumped down only a few feet away from them.

"Time to go." Roy smiled, Jason chuckled, "My thoughts exactly."

Red Arrow shot at them and Jason threw a ninja star hitting the arrow before it got to them. It blew creating a small could of dust and the other Archers were thrown back by Roy`s arrows.

"This way!" Roy nodded and they raced through the alley. It was odd how a peacefulnight could just turn, but with them it usually did. Beside him Arsenal somersaulted firing a quick arrow behind him. They rounded a corner and Jason nodded as they headed down opposite alley ways. He looked over his shoulder to see Red Arrow following him.

Jason shot at Red arrow and couldn't help but think he was shooting at Roy, because in all terms he was, kind of. Red arrow being Roy`s clone and all. Red Arrow hit the floor sliding closer as Jason turned a corner.

Suddenly someone landed down in front of him and he crashed into the girl. He smiled behind the mask at the girl in green, "I don't remember you."

The blonde sneered, "You will."

She kneed him in the stomach and he grabbed her shoulders spinning her around, jumping up and kicking into Red Arrow as he came running around the corner. "Artemis?" Red Arrow asked in surprise they feel on the floor and Jason rolled his eyes and ran out into the street.

"Where the hell are you?" He growled looking around for Roy, people on the side walk gasped when they saw him and he looked over his shoulder to see Read arrow and Artemis running up to him.

"Hey!"

Jason looked down the street to see Roy on the motorcycle coming his way, Jason ran up the street and jumped onto a car before jumping onto the back of the bike as it passed.

"Miss me?" Roy smiled a half smile, the Archer`s white optic lenses that covered his eyes stared over at him.

"Get over yourself harper." Jason growled. He waved goodbye to three hero`s as Green Arrow ran up to the other two archers.

"You have and odd family." Jason said turning around on the bike and looking over Roy`s shoulder. Roy raised an eyebrow, "Look who's talking."

"Mine doesn't bother me…much." Jason chuckled, "So where to next?"

"What do you think? Home." Roy smiled, he swerved the bike into the alley and Jason jumped off before Roy drove into the shed and parked the bike. By the time the Archer had locked the shed and was climbing threw the window Jason was already pulling off his hood.

"Home sweet home." Roy smiled throwing the knap sack of arrows onto the floor before lying down on the couch.

Jason rolled his eyes at Roy and walked into the bedroom. He didn't waste time taking off his jacket and shirt before he laid on the bed on his back looking up at the white ceiling and rubbing his sore hand with the other.

It had been two months since the whole thing, Joker, him, and Bruce and his hand still felt the effects of when the gun had blown in his hand. He hoped Bruce was hurting just the same, he was hoping they all were. He wanted to believe that his existence was burning a hole straight threw their happy family because after everything, he still ended up with the short stick.

Over those short two months he had only seen Batman and the others a few times. Him and Roy spent little time in Gotham having their hide out in Starcity helped to avoid them, but in was putting a considerable strain on Green arrow, which he thought was hilarious.

The situation was, this wasn't his city, he missed Gotham. No matter how pissed off he was at his "Family" that was his city and he wasn't going to just hand it over because he was out numbered, well they were out matched. Jason sighed, he would never ask Roy to fight with him, if it came down to if like the past, how could he?

Even though he would never to the bastard, Roy was the only person he could trust, and count on, it would go straight to his head. The people around him always ended up dead or betraying him and if Roy got mixed in with Batman and the other then he was…worried as to what the obnoxious archer could get into. If he had to say it he wouldn't, but Roy was if anything…growing on him.

Roy had been the best, he had kept his secret identity in the shadows, it didn't surprise him to find out that their little battle in Gotham had been kept as quiet as possible; meaning no one outside of the Batfamily plus Roy knew he was alive. Good.

Jason rolled over and laid his hands on his arms, his black hair falling in his face and just brushing the tip of his nose, the sounds of the traffic just outside his window and the muffled noises of the T.V in the living room seemed to sooth his nerves.

Sadly his thoughts drifted to other matters, other people, Robin. Tim Drake. The kid thought it was just fun and games being Robin, no; if the kid crossed his path again he would show him what being a Robin really meant. It meant getting beaten up, killed, being bait, it meant all the things that a hero wasn't. That's why Robin wore the bright colors, while every one watched the kid dancing and prancing around the battle field Batman would sneak around and take the spot light leaving the real heroes to fight and die for him.

Jason blinked and sat up crossing his legs on the bed, he needed to think. Over the past few months he had almost forgotten what his sensei had taught him, what Ducra had taught him.

Ducra was a tiny, short, humpback old lady that never stopped calling him man-child the whole year he trained with her, he had been and ass the second they had met and she put him on his ass, which had never happened, being Robin he had never met anyone who could be faster nor better than him at anything. She had taught him in the ways of All Caste. It was a dead fighting technique but being older than old see had a lot of secrets, and from all people to bring him to that place? The woman who had been the first to save him, Talia ah Ghul, another deed against her father. Maybe to get on Bruce`s good side, he didn't care, he was just grateful.

"_The names Jas-," He was about to say looking down at the old woman. Ducra waved her hand shriveled dismissively. _

"_Shush, bow before your superior man child." She croaked her eye boring into his skull. Jason smiled and kneeled down patting her on the head, "I might if I ever met one, but I don't do the bowing Grammy."_

_Talia looked down at him blinking cautiously, "Jason I wouldn't -, never mind." She hid her face with her hair in embarrassment. _

_Before he knew it Ducra pulled him over her head and he hit the floor with her pulling his arm behind his back, "I`ve been doing this for three thousand years. It took you only six seconds to torque me off, that has got to be some kind of record." _

_Jason gritted his teeth but she didn't let go, she only continued to talk, "You`re out cold now. Which means your useless. Defenseless, and mercifully silent." _

Jason smiled closing his eyes at the old woman`s odd behavior, she had taught him so much it was a shame to have to leave.

"_You`ve learned quickly Jason but your anger makes you sloppy." One of the monks said pointing the spear at him as Jason got into a fighting position._

They were perhaps the greatest people he ever knew, and for him, that was saying something. Jason came to the fair conclusion he wouldn't be able to sleep with the memories for his past invading his mind. He got up and grabbed a tank top off the dresser and walked into the living room and sat on the sofa next to Roy who smiled at him then leaned forward and handed him a coke.

Jason blinked icy blue eyes and smiled, "Thanks."

Roy tilted his head, "don't mention it," Before they turned back to the T.V to see what type of work they would be dealing with tomorrow.

**A/N: What do you think, I was re-reading the new 52 red hood and the outlaws and I was just like, this old lady is awesome, and I thought it was funny she kept calling him man-child so I put her in here for a brief moment. **


	2. Chapter 2

"So, what do we need?" Roy yawned sitting on the edge of the building and looking down at a small medical-science facility. Jason threw him the piece of paper and blinked when Roy fumbled it in his hands and almost feel over the edge just to catch it.

"Smooth." Jason smirked. Roy flipped him off as he looked on the list, "Nice, but one question."

"What?" He asked, pulling the paper away and shoving it into hi pocket with a muffled crunch. Roy tilted his head smiling, "Do I get to pick something from this super-market trip?"

Jason sighed in annoyance, "Sure knock yourself out, but just don't do anything stupid."

Roy grinned stupidly, and crossed his arms over his chest, "Look who you're talking to."

"And that's why I`m worried." Jason growled, "Come on, the faster we get in and out the more likely chance were wont become these people`s next lab rats."

Roy and Jason stood up, Jason pulled out his gun while Roy pulled out a bow and a normal, sharp tipped arrow. "You know," Roy said elbowing Jason in the side, "Our lives would be so boring if we didn't do stupid stuff like this."

"No kidding." Jason blinked behind his red hood. This was one of a kind places, it had everything he needed to make his equipment that he needed. He didn't feel in the least bit sorry about wanting to rob this place, it would be easy and plus, this building, this company had been charged in an investigation because someone suspected that they were working on the small stuff that turned the man-bat.

Roy was about to jump down with the duffle bag when Jason grabbed his shirt and pulled him down into a crouch.

"What? I thought we were going, don't tell me you think your giving say so`s to go now. Because we worked out a joint leadership an-," Jason covered his mouth, and looked his friend in the eyes, "Do you ever shut up?"

"Hmmp." Roy muttered behind Jason`s hand, Jason nodded to the left where the roof tops of the buildings were like stairs, each building lower than the other, "Look."

Roy followed Jason`s gaze over to see two people jumping from building to building only to land on the one that him and Jason were going to rob.

"Wow, our first night in back to Gotham and were already the center of attention." Roy said. Jason narrowed his eyes at the other two "hero`s" who crouched low and were talking in hushed tones, he could just make out the bright blue symbol on Nightwing`s chest and the red in Robin`s suit. Why them? Why not huntress or some other masked freaks.

"They're not here for us Roy; something's has to be going on in there for them to show their faces." Jason growled.

"Wanna forfeit?" Roy asked gesturing his thumb in the opposite direction. Jason shook his head, "No, just because they're here doesn't mean I`m going to run away tail between my legs."

"You just want to mess with them don't you?" Roy guess. Roy smiled, "So much."

"Then let's get to it!" Roy smiled, they jumped down from the roof tops and ran through the front doors of all places, completely sure that Nightwing and Robin were handling any unplanned events that they might have come across them self's.

"Welcome to the new creepy science place, get your shit and get out." Roy quoted, Jason spun around, "Met me here in ten minutes."

"Aye, Aye fearless not-leader." Roy waved and ran off down the hall.

Jason took a different route and headed down the stairs, his feet hit the marble the marble steps as he jumped each flight of stairs until he hit the door rolling into the room. The sight before him was little less than gruesome; Tim and Dick were struggling with two oversized man bats, while doctor and other patients laid along the floor passed out.

Tim leapt at the monster`s back as the creature slashed at Dick. Robin held the man-bat in a head lock and Dick tried squirm out of the other bats grasp. Jason smirked and slipped over to the other side of the room and found three pieces he needed. Jason shoved them into the duffle bag at his side before turning around and saw one of the man bats coming at him.

He jumped up and landed on the creatures head; he pushed off and flew through the door.

"Red Hood!" Tim yelled, Jason cursed his luck and race up the stairs, the Man bat flew after him and Jason jumped onto the stair railing and spun around jumping out at the beast pulling out his knife and slicing one wing before putting his feet first landing on Dick and pushing him into the wall.

Tim threw a batarang at him and Jason jumped over it and landed back at the top of the stairs, narrowed his cold blue eyes at Tim who was glaring up at him. "Red hood, wait!"

Jason of course did the opposite and ran through the door and into the hall slipping on the slick tile floors as he ran down the hall and saw Roy.

Suddenly someone grabbed his legs and they both tripped. He was rolled over to see Robin on top of him, "we have to talk about this Red!"

"Haven't you heard of Facebook?" He sat up quickly throwing his head into Tim`s and flipping him over, usually he would just beat the shit out of the bird but Nightwing had just ran through the door and Arsenal was aiming his arrows. He had what he needed, so it was time to leave, right?

Roy ran over and Jason ducked as his team-mate jumped over him and tackled Nightwing, Red Hood threw a quick punch at Robin who jumped jump and dodged it. Tim brought his foot to Jason`s side in a kick and He grabbed Robin`s foot and threw it up, he jumped p and kicked out with both feet at Tim`s chest.

The younger boy staggered back but gained his feet and put up his fist, "That all you got."

"Keep talking like that and I'll stop going easy on the you golden boy." Jason smirked. Jason leapt at Tim and punched his head, sides then curled his fist and brought them to Tim`s head.

Robin pulled out two batons and connected them before striking Jason in both of his sides and shoving the stick into his chest, it didn't break skin but it winded him.

He wasn't going to lie; this kid was good, to good to be following Batman around the city as second best. It was obvious this kid was being used, just like him and just like Dick. Before Jason could retaliate the wall behind the four vigilantes crumbled and the man bat burst through, blood draining from the wing Jason had cut off.

The beast seemed to make eye contact with all four and charged, it`s only wing and arms spread out catching all of them and pulling them threw the wall an into the Gotham street. Jason hit the side walk hitting his head on the cement and cracking his hood. He growled in pain and felt hi side only to pull his hand back to see blood dripping from his fingers.

"Shit." He growled, suddenly the man bat slashed at him and he hit the crumbling wall, brick crash onto him , "Ow! You asshole!" Jason growled, he forced himself up and shot out at it, blood splattered everywhere from the man bat but it didn't stop, it only seemed to blur it`s mind.

Tim sat up and pulled out three batarangs throwing them over the creature, a net quickly formed over the monster. The man bat screeched and cried slicking threw the ropes but getting more and more tangled, it managed to hit and clip Nightwing and Roy who were trying to dodge its arms and sharp claws.

"Fuck this." He snapped he fired off a few more shots as he ran over to Roy helping his team-mate up. Dick slid under the bat tripping it and with one last groan of defiance, it was over.

Jason looked up and found that Nightwing and Robin were staring at them, Dick was the first to dare make a move, " Red, we need to talk."

"Like hell we do." He snapped, Roy and him raised their weapon's in defense as the two hero`s took one step closer, "Red, stop it! This game you're playing its going to get someone killed!" dick looked at Roy, "Arsenal, come on, after all you`ve been through with Green Arrow, at least meet him, we can talk this out-,"

"What's the point of talking if no one listens, we used to talk but you see where that got us." Roy growled. Tim frowned, "Green Arrow is heartbroken Roy, and the team, Red arrow they want you back, and Red, at least give me a chance, what did I do to you? Bat-,"

"**Don't you dare!"** Jason spat, "Don't you dare say Batman is dying over me, that he cares, that he wants me back, what I want you to know is, can you look me in the eye and tell me he knows I exists, he`s ignoring me, we all see it, that's why you're here and not him, **Because he doesn't want to face his failure like a real hero!"**

**T**im closed his mouth and Jason smirked, "That's what I thought, he doesn't want to see the imperfect son, the broken and crazed person he shaped me into."

Nightwing narrowed his eyes, "And you Roy?"

Roy hesitated and Jason swallowed pretending it wasn't bothering him, but finally he answered, "I`m wear I need to be."

"You know where to find me if you change your mind, you to Re-," Night wing was saying before Roy threw down a hand full of smoke bombs a little harder than necessary. With that they were gone leaving the two brothers to stare after them.


	3. Chapter 3

"Ouch," Jason growled threw gritted teeth as Roy tried to sew up his side and Jason worked on Roy`s shoulder. "Fuckin butcher."

Roy rolled his eyes, "You're such a child Todd."

Jason knotted the stitch and started to wrap it over. "Whatever."

The room became silent; they couldn't hear anything besides the gentle drip of water from the sink in the kitchen and the cars outside. It was the pause, that pause the Roy had when he was talking to Nightwing, did Roy really want to be here? Was it selfish if they didn't talk about it, if they talked then the chances of Roy leave would only get higher?

"Jason, I`m not leaving." Roy said as if he knew what he was thinking. Jason nodded but didn't feel anything close to reassurance, the fact was he did feel selfish for letting Roy stay. His relationship with Oliver was…icy to say the least but the guy was trying.

"You should go and talk to Green arrow." Jason said tying down the wrapping. Roy only narrowed his eye and Jason hissed when he pulled on the stitches, "Oops," Roy snapped, "I`m not leaving Jay, you don't understand, Nightwing was the one to throw me out of the team, he`s being manipulative just like Batman."

"But you still have a chance with Green arrow, it`s something you should try and, I don't know, work on." Jason suggested. He got up once Roy finished with his wounded and chuckled darkly, "Look who's talking you hypocrite! What about you and Bat?"

Jason threw away the blood stain cloths not looking up, "There was never anything between me and Batman, he was always a cold, son of a bitch who took the people in his life for granted and then brainwashed they with things they wanted to hear."

"Fine," Roy sighed, Jason looked up, "I`ll talk to Oliver, once, that's it, I`m not joining he stupid cult of archers again and I`m not joining that Boy Scout team of retards, just one talk. Nightwing didn't want me there then so I'm not going now."

"Fine with me," Jason nodded not trying to force a happy face, what was the point? Jason leaned on the doorway to the kitchen playing with a small piece of wrapping cloth, tearing in slowly. He was unaware of Roy's concerned eyes on him.

Bruce, Batman, what was the difference? Was it the identity or the Name? Probably no real difference, Bruce would never change, no matter how many people died for him.

A cold smiled crept on Jason`s face and Roy shivered, this was one of those moments…again.

It was funny, that he was the only one who saw the real man behind the mask. He had long gotten past the part of feeling bad about wanting to destroy everything Batman stood for, he deserved it, why should he should any spec of kindness when Bruce himself had never really cared?

XXXXXXX

"Leave him be Dick," Bruce growled as his eyes scanned the computer, Dick pinched the bridge of his nose, "Damnit Bruce, you have to do something about him, this is about you, why aren't you doing anything, have you given up on him?"

"No Dick, and I never will, but the last thing he needs is to talk to me." Bruce said not even flinching. Dick rolled his eyes, "No it`s not, why can't you at least make an effort on this?"

Finally Bruce spun around in the chair to face his eldest son, "Because, I have bigger things to worry about Dick, Jason is throwing a tantrum, if I get into it it`ll only encourage him to continue." Bruce spun back around the face the bright screen for the computer again.

Dick narrowed his eyes, "Jason`s right, you are avoiding him, why? Face what happened, try to help him, do something because it`s- it`s really messing with everyone."

Bruce stood up glaring, "I faced what happened to Jason, twice in fact, he doesn't understand Dick it wasn't just hard on him, but that boy has gotten it into his head that we never cared just because Tim`s here."

Dick crossed is arms over his chest, "You did replace him in a little less than a year."

"Not this again, don't you start tell me it was a mistake to let Tim be Robin." Bruce snapped coldly. Dick only blinked calmly, "No, it`s just, really soon, a little too soon."

Bruce walked over to the holographic computer he had just inserted into the cave, "There`s no need to talk, you don't understand, Jason is a murdering thief and the only thing I can do for him is taking to Belle Reve. He got…issues he always has, he`s dangerous Dick the best thing to do is stay away from Jason Todd."

XXXXXXX

The nights were tough on him, it had been what? Three days without sleep, and every night he ended up with one more problem. Well now was time to change it up, he never realized how different Gotham looked in the morning. Almost like different world. It was…soothing. The best part he was able to be here on his own, Roy had stayed behind to work on the things they had gotten from lab the other night while he went to clear his head.

Well almost, being acquainted in the Bat family he sadly never had time alone. EVER!

"Red Hood." Batgirl acknowledged coolly, it felt hit acid to him, once so close, like brother and sister now enemies, because of two people. Two idiots.

"What? You`ve forgotten my name already, I`m hurt." Jason smirked looking over his shoulder and Barbara walked to stand beside him, she didn't turn to look at him, but rather kept her eyes on the horizon.

"I`m surprised you're not attacking me right now, what's the problem? You don't hit girls." She asked a challenge in her voice. Jason narrowed his eye at her, "I don't need to hurt you to prove a point."

"Jay," she said her eyes dark, "what are you doing? This, you and Roy, you and this life, it doesn't suit you, you belong with us, your real family."

Jason chuckled, "You're not my real family, Nightwing despises me now, Robin will never know me, not that I want him to and Batman has never trusted me."

"And me?" She asked. He glared at her, "You`ve gotten stupid, and cold now that your back, what happened to you, I thought of all people you would understand what I had to do, the Joker-,"

"Don't you say he`s the one who made you do anything!" She growled, "There was a time I thought we were related Jay, we were so alike but now, I realize we are nothing alike, you're blaming other for your problems Jay and I don't remember that side of you. The Jason Todd I knew faced everything and took everything with a smile."

"I still smile, it`s just not around any of you." He said.

"Why, what did I do, I understand that your made Jay-Jay, but if you can't trust the others, trust me." She said putting out her hand, Jason narrowed his eyes and slowly pulled off his mask, "I`m not the same person Babs, I`m not the Jason Todd you remember."

"I know," she smiled sadly, "But, I at least want to try and get to know the you, you are now, give me that chance, I promise no double crossing or back stabbing."

Jason blinked and she smiled walking closer to him and lifting her hand to ruffle his hair like when he was young, Jason ducked away before her hand to over her head. "Fine, I`ll think about it, but don't say I didn't warn you Babs."

He turned to leave but Barbara spun hi around and hugged him before he got the chance to pull away, "I`ve missed you Jay." She muttered somewhat chocked.

Jason took a deep sigh letting his hands lay at his side limply, no matter how much he wanted to hug her back. What the hell was he doing? He should leave now and be done with it.

He grabbed Barbara`s shoulders and pushed her away putting his mask back on and raced off. He ignored the fact he could still feel her eyes watching him from a distance.

XXXXXXXXX

Jason slipped into the window to see Roy lying against the couch snoring loudly. He rolled his eyes and walked over to the brief case and pulled out his prototype gloves. They came up to his elbows ad held and dark gray metal color that he loved. He clenched his fist and pressed the button on his palms, blades streaked out on the side of the gloves and he smiled, they were almost done.

He slipped them off and put them away taking off his mask and chucking at Roy.

"Spiders!" Roy yelled jumping out of sleep as the helmet hit him on the head and bounced onto the couch. He snapped his eyes to Jason who laughed; Roy rubbed his forehead, "What kept you?"

"Batgirl." He said sitting down next to Roy who`s face contorted, "I thought she was like a sister to you-,"

Jason rolled his eyes, "Keep your perverted thoughts to yourself, we only talked."

"So the hypocrite has changed his ways, what happened, don't tell me if it ends with body bag or didn't bring food back with you?" Roy said, Jason sighed ignoring Roy`s last comment, "She want to trust me."

"That's good, right?"

"No, it`s not, it just makes things more complicated." He growled. Roy shrugged, "Take this as a win, if you don't trust her then use her, you said it yourself your family can't be trusted."

"I guess." He sighed looking away. Then he looked at Roy, "Hey weren't you supposed to meet Green arrow today?"

Roy shrugged, "I skipped out screw them, you know."

"Yeah." Jason nodded; he took a deep breath and laid his head back against the couch, he shoved his hands in his pockets only to pull out a small note, did Barbara put this in his jacket? Roy looked over at the note as he unfolded it and started to read silently.

_ Hey Jason, I had to talk to you, ever since the night of those bats everything you said about Batman has got me thinking, I`ve been paying attention to what he says and does and even though I don't agree with his actions I know he`s still misses you, but of course I know you`ll never listen to whatever anybody says about Batman even if your life depend on it. Anyways I was thinking you don't like me because I`m Robin, you told me a while back that I don't know the real meaning of being Robin, well I say fuck that, I know exactly what being Robin I about, just because I haven't died doesn't mean I haven't seen everything there is to see. I sorry for what happened to you, I`m sorry you feel Bruce failed you but I`m not sorry for being Robin, so I know you`ll want to kill me after you read this but I want to say one thing, I want a truce between you and me. Forget what Bruce would think, or say, or Dick or Barbara, this is between you and me, I`m not taking the fall because your mad at __**our **__father. Bruce makes his own choices and I make mine, what do you say? Truce? If so meet me at Gotham church Wednesday at noon. _

_Hopefully not to be soon dead because you slash my throat out- Tim Drake._


	4. Chapter 4

"Did you brush your teeth?" Alfred asked, Tim smiled and nodded walking over to his room, "Yes, yes, yes, good night Alfred." Tim nodded and leaned down petting Ace as he opened his door. Thunder roared out side and rain splattered against his closed window but Tim didn't flinch as he walked over to the restroom and threw a few towels into the hamper before walking over to his bed.

Ace jumped up next to him and whined as another round of thunder stuck the sky. Tim pet Ace behind the ears, "It`s okay buddy."

Tim closed his eyes and yawned letting his head hit the pillows and he lost track of time before he heard the next blast of thunder and sat up in shock, it sounded to close. The curtains were opened and the window was showing the dark storm outside. Only when lightning struck again did he see the slight outline of someone sitting in the window.

"Who`s there?" he growled, Ace lifted his head and his tail started to wag happily. Tim frowned, "Jason?" Tim tried getting off the bed.

"What is this?" Jason growled, Tim`s eyes were adjusting to the dark and her could see the letter he had asked Batgirl to give Jason. That had been on his mind since he put the pen onto the paper.

"You were supposes to meet me at the church tomorrow, not at my house, in my room…in my pajamas." Tim said looking at his own light blue night shirt and pants. Jason didn't laugh and Tim sighed, "What did you want?"

"Do I look like someone you should get involved in Golden boy? **Writing** this could ruin your perfect image in the eyes of the bat," Jason pulled out his knife and Tim blinked, "You know I was joking when I said you were going to kill me…right?"

"Of course I did," He threw the knife at the wall and it stuck there like a curse, Tim narrowed his eyes and Jason started to slowly walk around the room, he looked at Tim, "You`ve got guts kid, I`ll give you that, to ask me for a truce? And not even care what bats would think; well I can't say that doesn't change a few bullet points I have on you."

"I`m thrilled for that," Tim said sarcastically, Jason chuckled darkly, "But I don't trust you Timmy, and this is why," Jason pulled the knife from the wall and threw it at him, Tim quickly jumped up and landed on the bed`s head board and pulled out a hidden batarang throwing it at Jason.

Red hood threw up his arm and deflected it, "Your good I won't lie, but how good are you own your own?"

Jason clicked his lips and Ace barked jumping off the bed and running out the door when Jason opened it, "Good boy."

"What do you want from my Jason? You want me to prove I`m better than you? Because I will. I`ll show you that I have what it takes to make it as Robin." Tim growled jumping off the bed. Jason chuckled, " I know you will because you still think just because I lived in this house that were something like family, were not, but I`m willing to make a deal, show me you're the Robin you claim to be."

"How, because," Tim jumped off the head board and onto the floor, "I`m not going to kill anyone."

"You don't have to, just show me what you`ve learned." Jason said smirking behind the mask. Tim sighed then held out a hand, "Deal."

Jason nodded shacking Tim` hand, "I think you`ll need your suit." He nodded at Tim`s pajamas.

"Oh, yeah." Tim said blinking.

"I`ll meet you at the church in half an hour, don't let Alfred see you leave and bring your bike." Jason said. Tim nodded and Jason jumped out the window shaking his head, "What the hell am I doing."

Tim looked after Jason blinking; he couldn't help but throw his fist in the air, "Yes."

XXXXXXX

Jason landed on the knocking him out instantly before bringing his foot up and knocking the gun out of the hand of another. He grabbed the guy`s shirt and pulled him into a head butt then drove his knee into the guys abdomen before throwing him aside.

He spun around and threw two ninja stars at two men. He ran up and sent a jab to each side before punching the ninja star lodged in the man`s chest. It forced its way into the man`s body and Jason jumped up and kicked the next guy in the head before spinning around and punching the next man running at him with a tire iron. The man staggered at the blow and Jason dropped to the floor spinning around and the man hit the floor.

Jason stood up and wiped his blood stained hands on his blood soaked pants, him and boy wonder had be at this for hours, they had taken on anything from a burglary to murders to gang wars, to say the least he was impressed. Tim walked over trying to wipe the blood splatter from his suit but it only spread.

"that was fun," Tim looked to the side out the building`s old and crumpled window and frowned as the sun just shown over the horizon, "I have to go."

"Yep." Jason nodded.

Tim blinked, "And?"

"And what?" Jason smirked.

"Truce?" He reminded him holding out his hand, Jason blinked, why did everyone suddenly want a hand shake from him? None the less he did and Tim smiled brightly. Jason nodded his goodbyes and climbed out the window. Really what the hell was he doing, talking with Tim, making some stupid pact, just yesterday he hated Tim but now?

This didn't help clear anything up; his thoughts were still a cloudy mess. This, whatever this was, only made his thoughts more of a jumbled mess than what they actually were.

XXXXXXX

Jason climbed through the window of the apartment nodding to Roy who threw an arrow into his quiver. "So, how`d it go? It that Drake`s blood or yours?"

Jason turned and looked the window shut before taking off his helmet and tossing it onto the sofa next to Roy, "Neither, I`m giving him a chance."

Roy blinked shifting in his seat on the sofa, a slight smile on his face, "This is new, the Red Hood giving chances, like it, more allies' means more help if needed and we won't have to get our hands dirty for just entering city limits."

"Yeah." He nodded smirking as he picked up his hood and sat down resting it on his lap. Roy shifted in his seat to look at him, "I`ve been searching some things out around the city between and a Gotham."

"And?" Jason asked intrigued to get back to work and get the bat family out of his head. Roy smirked, "Charlie Anson, works at Arkham, last week another college accused him of working with the inmates, the guy died today, Charlie would have been the first suspect but some guy confessed said he did it."

"So we bust Charlie? Plant a few bugs in the control room and the cells, easy." He nodded running a hand threw his hair coolly. Roy bit his lip smiling sheepishly, "Not exactly, the college insisted he was working with Hugo strange and talking to the prisoners, laying off guards, etcetera, I want to know what's going on, and I have a plan."

"Okay, now I`m worried." Jason joked, "What is it?"

"Well, It`s gonna take a lot of work, and something with a bit more…boom." Roy smirked.


	5. Chapter 5

It`s odd being back, even odder to the fact her was only back to steal something but still, he never needed to be told twice about going back to the cave. Roy`s stupid plan was in all ways stupid, but if the Archer insisted on getting sent to Arkham, he wasn't going to miss out.

Jason pulled himself over the rocks and wet stone to look down at the cave, pitch black, which meant Alfred was done cleaning and everyone else was out, good. A little disappointing but it made his mission all the more easier.

He jumped down and pulled out his gun when the lights quickly came on. Jason`s eyes scanned the cave but no one else was here, batman must of made a motion sensing lights in the cave. Clever. He put his guns away and started around the room pushing things aside. Where the hell was it?

Finally he found the bright silver, dusty suit case an opened it, empty. He growled, damn, Roy was waiting for the damned signal, this had to be perfect, and he needed this damned collar.

Suddenly arms wrapped around his thought and Jason let his instincts kick in. He fell back smashing the person behind him and rolling away and onto his feet pointing his guns at Batman. Bruce pushed himself to his feet and Jason did the same keeping a good distance.

"Looking for something?" Bruce growled holding up the E.M.P. collars. Jason loaded the chamber, "Give me the collars Bats and this won't get too bloody."

Bruce only pocketed the tools, "Why do you need it?"

"You're the detective, figure it out." He Jason spat. Batman narrowed his eyes, "Why are you harassing my team, your family, why hurt them, when I`m the one you're mad at?"

"Harassing them? Mad at you? No, I`ve left them alone, they just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time." Jason chuckled darkly.

"And Tim being in his room was the wrong place at the wrong time?" Bruce asked. Jason chuckled but the grip on his gun tightened, "So the little shit told you about that."

"Tim didn't tell me anything, there`s a transmitter camera in every suit, I up dated it after you got back, keeping eyes on everyone was important, just in case."

Jason laughed, "Your scared for them, scared what I might do, but what's the really reason you didn't come running when Batgirl found me? Or when Tim and I were on the streets?"

"I knew if I stayed away from you, they would only try to take matters into their own hands, it was a good chance to see what was going on with you."

"Only because I would never have another heart to heart with you again right, damn, this is too good to be true, I told the kid you`d do something to betray him and look what we have, and not a moment too soon." Jason smiled, pulling off his mask and throwing it onto the computer. Bruce blinked, "I know what you mean and if you touch on hair on Tim`s head then for the love of God-,"

"Quit getting all endearing about Tim in front of me, I think I might hurl." Jason growled, "Give me the collar Bruce; I have things to do, people to see."

"Never, you're going to put down the gun and were going to start talking. Something we should have done a long time ago." Bruce said. Jason smirked and put the gun away, "It`s funny you still think I need a gun to beat you."

Jason punched out at him but Bruce quickly side stepped and grabbed him arm and spun him around grabbing both hands behind Jason`s back. "This isn't a game Jason; stop it, before you kill someone you actually care about!"

"Good thing no one comes to mind." He snapped throwing his head back and catching Bruce in the nose, the grip on his hand loosened and Jason reached behind him and threw Bruce over his head. Of course Batman changed the tumbled into a roll ending up back on his feet.

Jason smiled and threw grabbed a batarang from a box beside him, he threw it and it hit the wires beside Bruce, the machine blew and Batman was thrown sideways and landed on the floor. Jason ran over and kicked him in the side, he punched him over with him foot and Bruce glared up at him, "Is this really what you want?"

"Yes." He said confidently he lifted his foot and Bruce grabbed him before he could smash his face in. Jason lost balance and fell hitting the floor, as fast as he could and flipped over onto his back and kicked Bruce in the face as he was getting up.

Bruce stumbled as he stood, and Jason caught sight of the collar, "Fuck, I don't have time for this!" he snapped and pulled out his gun, and shot Bruce. Batman gasped his hand flying to his shoulder and he fell back again.

Jason walked over to Bruce and pointed the gun at his head, "It would be so easy to kill you right now."

His voice shook either from the immense rage he felt at Bruce or the sadness at how the table`s had turn, or more like been thrown out the window. It took all his effort to put the gun back to his side, "But I have other things to do, and to make sure you're busy," Jason walked over to the computer and threw a few matches on it, he walked over to the shrine of suits stepping on Bruce`s heavily bleeding shoulder as he tried to get up.

"I`m see you in hell Batman." He snapped opening the robin suit case and throwing a match onto the outfit. Smoke started to rise above the ceiling as the flames started to spread.

"Jason!" Batman snapped getting to his feet, "I`m not letting you leave again."

"That's where you went wrong Bruce, I was never yours to control, what you say means nothing to me." Jason left the cave in a burning heap and headed to Arkham asylum were Roy was waiting.

XXXXX

"Here," Jason said handing Roy the collar and taking off his hood and the mask over his eyes and putting the collar around his neck. He quickly put on the guard suit and waited for Roy to do the same.

"Ready?" Jason asked. Roy nodded, "This`ll be easy."

Jason pressed the button on the collar and he couldn't feel it but when he looked over at Roy he could tell his face had changed, Roy did the same and Jason blinked at his new face. "Good, let's go."

"See you guys later!" Roy smiled at the two Arkham guards tied, gaged and blind folded in the armored truck.

They jumped out the back of the truck and to on their bikes headed to Arkham Asylum.


	6. Chapter 6

"What the hell are you doin`?" A man asked walking up to them as they entered the building warily, they froze and Jason was about to reach for the gun at his side when the man stopped in front of them, "Your lunch is 15 minutes not an hour!"

Roy and Jason shared a look, they felt so odd being here without their mask, but the E.M.P collars were still on their necks hidden by the guard uniforms. "Um, okay, sorry?" Roy blinked at the man in front of them.

"Whatever, just- just get back to work." The guy growled walking away threw two doors at the side. Jason looked around and elbowed Roy in the side when he saw someone walking over to them; it was their suspect, Charlie. Roy frowned when he saw what Jason pointed out.

Charlie made it over to them and rolled his eyes, "We get no respect around here am I right?"

Jason smirked uncomfortably, "No kidding."

"Every bodies and ass," Roy said, Charlie nodded, "Yeah, well see you guys around."

Charlie walked off and Jason turned to Roy, "We have to split up, this place is huge and if we want to find out what Charlie is up to, you follow him and I`ll try talking to some of the other prisoners, see what I can find."

"Sure, use the com in an hour, until then I`ve got it off." Roy informed, Jason nodded and Roy ran after Charlie while he was left to look around the prison. Jason pushed through the silver door and into the next room looking down through the protective glass at the cafeteria.

There was tape all along the door and they were plastered shut, this obviously wasn't going to be used anytime soon. He pushed past the next set of doors coming to a few cells with bullet proof glass. He glared at every one of them he passed; some cells had up to five men in them. He turned a corner and blinked seeing a man opening one door that looked like a tank couldn't burst through, there was no window of glass or anything. Perfect.

"Hey, I give `em the food." Jason volunteered walking up to the man who blinked at him, "Okay, thanks, I hate cats."

Jason chuckled and grabbed the tray and walked into the cell closing the door behind him, he flicked the lights on and blinked to see who was sitting on the bed glaring up at him, "Not many people are stupid enough to visit me, I` think you were new if I hadn't seen you before." Catwoman hissed.

"Catwoman," He smiled, "Just the person I wanted to see."

"Fuck off." She spat in rage, her green eyes bright. Jason looked around the room and was glad to see there weren't any cameras in this cell, only on the outside, no wonder people could literally walk out if they had the strength to bust the door.

Jason pulled at the collar and held it in his hands smiling, Catwoman blinked narrowing her green eyes, "I have no clue who you are."

"Oh." Jason blinked in surprise, so, she hadn't seen his face during the mission before he died? Maybe this could be of advantage, someone like him, kind of. "Selina Kyle, how Isis, come on, you seriously do know me?"

"You look familiar, and the fact you know my cat`s name doesn't surprise me." She growled looking over his features with interest.

"Seriously? Not even a guess, and after I helped you and your cat out I`d get some sort of recognition." He said running a hand threw his hair. She blinked, "You can`t be that little twerp, could you?"

"Twerp?" He asked raising and eye brow, "but if you're thinking bird type person that used to follow Batman around the city then yes."

"Wow," She smiled her attitude changing completely as she got up and walked over to him leaning on his chest and bringing a hand to the side of his face, "You`ve gotten cute."

Jason chuckled grabbing her wrist, "No need to flirt, I`ll help you out, if you tell me what this Charlie guy is up to, know him?"

"Of course I do," She smirked walking away and sitting on the bed, "He`s been working with Strange and Dr. Crane, something to do with venom and that shit Cane sprays in your face."

"Nothing else?" He asked tilting his head, she bit her lip, "Not that I know but I can tell their not happy about the results, when they take test subjects to crane then they don't come back, or they go to the infirmary and then die."

"Do you know where they're doing this?" he asked her crossing his arms over his chest, she shrugged, "I think the boiler room but I can't be sure, that's the only place I can think where they could burn the bodies."

"Thanks Selina," He pressed turned the com on and pressed it, "Hey Roy, I know it hasn't been an hour but you there?"

Silence.

Jason sighed, "Looks like I`m on my own for this one."

"Want me to come boy wonder? I hear you`ve caused a lot of trouble for bats, I want know, why fake your own death, why leave?" she asked.

"I didn't fake it," He said and putting the collar back on, "don't worry, I`ll be back to get you before me and Arsenal leave."

"I`ll be waiting," She smiled crossing her legs. Jason left and started to head for the boiler room when he saw Charlie looking around and walking in the opposite direction. If he followed him he would eventually run into Roy.

He ran after Charlie and looked over his shoulder hoping to see Roy, after about twenty minutes of following Charlie he hadn't seen one sign of his partner and tried a different approach. He walked over to Charlie who jumped at his presence, "Hey, Charlie, have you seen Andy around?" Andy was the name of the guard's identity they had stolen.

"H-He took the day off." Charlie stuttered, Jason chuckled and suddenly pushed Charlie into the wall and held his hand to his throat, "Where`s Andy?"

"I don't-," Jason punched the wall beside the man`s head, "Lie to me again then find out what happens."

"He`s gone, Andy never came in, this guy was wearing some type of collar to hide his face, he`s in the boiler room now with Crane but he`s probably dead by now!"

"Better not be," Jason punched Charlie in the face knocking his out and breaking his nose in anger before running back the way he had come, the door to Catwoman`s door was locked again and he pulled out his explosive gel Roy had made from the stuff they had collected over the two months out of Gotham.

Jason hit the floor and put his eye mask on before blowing the door. It was a second before Catwoman jumped out and he grabbed her arm, "You wanna help, and keep up." He growled handing her a gun and pulling out his own. He shoved the collar into his pocket and they ran around the corner, Jason shot two guards and talked a doctor to the floor before they continued.

Three men with shields ran in front of them and Jason hit the floor sling under one an Catwoman jumped up and tackled one man from about they both spun around and shot the last man in the head before he could put up his shield.

"You`ve gotten fun boy wonder." She smiled, He smirked but didn't reply as they pushed through the boiler room`s large door and gasped the see Roy on the floor blood pooling from his side with Crane standing over him with a piece of rusty metal.

Jason didn't hesitate to point the gun at Crane but growled, this guy deserved to suffer! He shot the boiler tank beside Crane and hot gas hit the man`s masked face, but the heat was enough to send him screaming and clawing at his eyes.

Jason jumped onto Crane pushing him to the ground and putting his blade to his throat, "What did you do!" He snapped. Crane only continued to gasp in pain.

"Red!" Catwoman yelled helping a wobbly Roy to his feet.

"Aren't you a bad guy?" Roy muttered his voice slurred. Jason growled and looked at Crane once more who was lifting his hand, Jason instinctively shoved the knife into the man`s skinny wrist pinning it to the ground, "Fucker don't you even try!"

He spun around and ran over to Selina and Roy who were already heading for the door. Once Jason was at Roy`s side he leaned over on him, Jason taking more than half his friends weight.

He shot out with his gun as to doctors ran around the corner, catwoman ran ahead a little bit checking to see. Jason tried not to look behind them at the small dots of blood that fell from Roy`s side and finally they came to a wall, "What the hell, you may be good Red but your sense of direction is terrible!" Selina spat.

"No this is it." He growled, Catwoman took Roy off of him and Jason started to gel the wall, "Hurry up boy wonder, the real trigger happy morons are coming."

Jason jumped over to them and hugged the two as the wall blew and crumbled. Jason threw Roy over his shoulder ignoring his partners protest, "I-I can walk Todd."

"Yeah but were in a hurry and for the record were even." He growled. Jason spun around and shot at a sniper on the roof of the building before the man could even shoot, Jason turned back around and put Roy down, letting Catwoman take him, "go to the gates, there are two bikes I`ll be right behind you. The ass holes slowing me down." He growled.

"Your and ass to so…" Roy snickered stupidly as Catwoman hauled him away, Jason pointed his guns in opposite direction`s shooting down two more snipers. He jumped out of the way as a group of men shot out at him; behind his post he threw a handful of ninja stars at them and rolled to make them see him and not the deadly sharp weapons flying at them. Jason pointed his gun at someone who decided Roy and Catwoman were better targets than him and the man fell dead.

He ran over to them and pushed them along, "You have to go faster."

"That's what she said." Roy chuckled in his odd delusional state. Jason pointed the gun at the lock at the gate and catwoman smirked, "You're not that goo-,"

He shot the tiny key hole of the gate and glared, "I`m not that good?"

"Never mind." She blinked and held Roy onto his bike. Jason startled his own, "Follow me, no shit."

She nodded and they took off down the road leaving Arkham city behind them.

XXXXXX

"Look at them! Their dumb asses, there are better way they could have handled this, but no." Green arrow snapped gesturing to the almost fried Bat computer that showed a helicopter losing sight of Catwoman, Red hood and Arsenal.

Batman threw a shard piece of metal and threw it into a box, "They're here to make a point, so everything is going to be loud and aggressive, what`d you expect?"

"God! Young justice is well, younger and they have more sense." Green arrow implied. Batman nodded, "Yes, yes, I get it, but they`ve been through things those kids haven't."

"Why are you defending them?" Green arrow asked coldly, "They're murdering, stealing, crazy, psychopaths that have lost their head, look what happened here, this is one person that knows everything about everyone, think of two of them as a team, how did they even find each other, is there some type of club?"

"Leave Red hood to me." Batman snapped, Green arrow tilted his head, "What is it between you two that you're not telling everyone."

"That's my business, now your just, upset am I understand but keep a cool head and go and find them, I would know if they lived here, they must be living in your city."

"I`ve tried looking-,"

"You haven't tried hard enough, take Roy, and Artemis with you." Batman growled picking up and few more items and throwing them away.

"Artemis quit last year, the only reason she came last time was because we begged for her help about a different project, you would know this if you weren't so obsessed." Green arrow walked away and disappeared in the Zeta-beam only for it to light up again and Tim came through, "Holy-, what happened here? Is this why you wanted me to spend the other night with the team?"

"Yes, Tim, I have to ask, do you know where Jason is?" Bruce asked his eyes narrowed, Tim shook his head, "No, why would I?"

"I know you made a truce, there was a transmitter in your suit, not to mention Batgirl and Nightwing just in case." Batman said without missing a beat. Tim blinked at least five times before he spoke again, "What! Are you kidding me? You were spying on us?"

"Only for your protection, not just agents Jason but if you needed help it came in handy." Bruce stated simply. Tim narrowed his eyes, "This is wrong and you know it, you don't trust us, your being a real hypocrite wanting trust from Jason when you can't even give it to us!"

"I don't want Jason`s trust Tim, I only want to make right by him, you would never understand and besides, the damn dog even has a camera in his collar." Bruce growled gesturing to Ace who blinking up at them innocently.

"Whatever Bruce, I`m going out." He snapped pulling off his mask and cape and shirt as he went up the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Batman growled. Tim looked over his shoulder, "I can't go out in that suit till I find that damn camera, for now I`ll settle for a hoody and jeans."

Them Tim was gone and Bruce pulled his cowl down and pinching the bridge of his nose, after about five minutes he walked over to Ace and started to pet the large dog, "I`m so glad you can't talk."

XXXX

Jason laid Roy on the couch quickly ripped off his friend's shirt pulling away the scraps to show the bloody wound at his side. He raced to the kitchen and ran a rag under cold water before running back and wiping the wound, Roy hissed painfully in his unconscious state. Light reddish-pink water dripped from the rags edges and onto Jason`s legs as he kneeled down beside Roy`s side trying to clean the wound that was now open again.

Catwoman burst through the front door, closing and locking before hurrying over and dropping the things she had stool from a nearby medical facility, "Hold him down." She said pulling out a needle and thread, "he`s done this before." Jason informed telling her they was no need.

"Do it!" She snapped. Jason grabbed Roy`s arm and held down the mechanical one with a harder strength as Roy gasped and yelled when Catwoman started to sew the wound. She poured a bottle of alcohol on the wound and Roy screamed and Jason covered had to sit on Roy with each knee on each arm and both hands on his mouth, "Stop butchering him!" he spat at Catwoman who glared up at him, "Shut up!"

She seemed to stitch even slower afterword and somewhere during hours that passed Roy seemed to stop screaming and yelling out and Catwoman was finished and looked worriedly at the nicely stitched wound. The skin around it though was red, angry and raw.

"Is he okay?" Jason asked walking into the room after washing his bloody hands, Selina looked up at him as she sat on the coffee table, "He needs a real doctor, he`ll need a tetanus shot and I think an infection is setting in quicker than it should, he has a high fever, his pupils and dilated and he`s in a cold sweat."

"So that's a no?" Jason sighed. She frowned, "He needs to go a hospital Red."

"You don't understand he can't go to a hospital." He snapped. She shot to her feet, "Then he`s going to die!" Selina took a deep breath, "I can come up with a tetanus shot and some pills and stuff for infection but there`s something not right here, I think Crane poisoned him with a mixture of the Venom and fear gas."

Jason shrugged, "He`ll get over it, that stuff wears off on its own."

She shook head, "You can't be sure, it has venom in it, you know from Bane, big scary weirdo."

Jason looked away, "yeah I know who he is."

Selina walked over to him and rested a hand on his shoulder, "I`ll be back."

"You`ll need help." Jason said getting ready to grab his mask, but she stopped him, "He needs you more than I do." With that Selina Kyle, left his apartment and everything was silent.

Jason walked over to Roy and kneeled down beside him, after a few moments he couldn't hold back the words he`d been needing to say, "Don't die on me Roy."


	7. Chapter 7

Jason sat on the edge of the coffee table, taking a small sip of the beer before her let it side from his hand until he was only holding the very top with the tips of his fingers. The room was almost silent except for Roy`s ragged breathing on the couch, the patter of rain on the windows and every so often the loud crack of thunder outside.

Only a few days had passed, Catwoman had come and gone and he had stayed here, with Roy...in silence.

He was alone with his thoughts and he hated it. the only real company he had was Roy who woke up three or four time a day before passing out, and most the time he joked about how Jason looked worried, the more he was alone the more his mind seemed to speed and race and do semi flips. It was irritating. he leaned forward pinched the bridge of his nose as hard as he could with out breaking his nose.

Jason jumped to his feet and threw the bottle at the wall behind him in frustration, his head snapping to Roy as he moaned in pain in his sleep. "It`s my fault."

If he had been faster, if he hadn't gone to get Catwoman first, if he never made this stupid dynamic duo team then he wouldn't be losing pretty much the only person that really was there for him.

He was sitting her watching his friend die while he waited up on someone who might never show, and he trusted her because? She used to hook with Bruce? She was some what like him to confused to know where they stood or maybe he was just getting week? Soft. Helpless.

Never! When he had become the person to let others do stuff for him? Why should he listen to some one who double crossed people more than two-face did?

Jason took a few steps over to Roy and helped him sit up. Roy coughed raggedly looking at him with tired eyes, "Wha?"

"Come on Roy, lets go get you some help." Jason said patting Roy`s shoulder.

XXXXX

Jason shoved the door open his clothes soaked from the rain outside, he didn't bother to try and close the door but it did it on it`s own and Jason practically dragged Roy over to the examination table and helped him up. This woke the Archer up a little but not by much. Roy muttered something but ended up in a gagging fit, quickly Jason pulled a air mask over his mouth.

IT must have helped because Roy took the biggest breath he could before he even tried to speak. "Where...are...we?" he asked threw shallow breaths. Jason looked around the small medical room and then back to Roy, "Dr. Leslie Tompkins is someone who can and will help you, be respectful and do what she says."

"Yes...Mother." Roy chuckled coughing againg the sound muffled by the mask.

"Who`s there!" Jason spun around and pulled out his gun pointing it at the door as the lights flashed on. Jason narrowed his eyes and held onto the gun as Leslie dropped her keys, "Jason?"

Jason blinked he was still pointing his gun...at Leslie, what was he doing! He threw the gun onto the counter like it was some disses and turned to her, "Hi."

"Your-," She tried to say but couldn't finished, He nodded, "It`s me," He smiled genuinely, something that felt good to do after a long time. He took a few quick steps over to her and placed a hand on her upper arm, "Leslie, I need your help, I promise I`ll explain everything, but." He gestured to Roy and she looked up at him her face a sorts of emotions, but she would never turn a patient down.

She took a quick sample of Roy`s blood and looked at it, "It`s like your said, the fear toxin but there's something else, it`s keeping it there in his system, usually I dies out."

Jason walked over to her, "Catwoman was talking about experiments with venom, what about that?"

She nodded, "I can give him a few things that Arkham Doctors used on the patients after Joker drugged his own men a few years back, that seemed to work on the venom and a simple, little stronger than usual Scarecrow antidote will do to clear his system."

"Thank you." Jason nodded in relief leaning against the wall his shoulders finally losing a bit of their stress. The room was completely silent as Leslie held Roy`s arm gently and gave him a hand full of shots, she gave a three layer bandage to the wound Selina sewed on Roy`s side and made sure there was not later infection before she walked over to him and looked him over and smiled.

"You got taller."

"6,2." Jason smiled and Leslie chuckled and wiped one eye with the back of her hand, "You know it was a month after you..." She swallowed, "Before I even knew, Nightwing told me, right there and then I knew that, you should have stayed with me, but I was to busy at the time and Bruce was much better at it then I ever will be, I`m sorry Jason." she sniffled looking at him, "I should have never let you go with Bruce if I knew this is how you would turn out."

"I didn't turn out so bad." he smiled half heartedly, but he was kidding himself. He died, usually that's the end, story over, but no he`sstill he and from his perspective her got the short end of the stick.

"No, you didn't," She smiled sweetly, "I`m proud of you Jason."

"No your not Leslie, how could you be." He said looking away.

She shook her head frowning, "No, don't you even think for a second that I couldn't be proud, I wont lie to you Jason Todd, you have made...questionable choices but you made it so far from that beat up boy that I found out side this door, you are still standing and for that I am proud of you. don't think I wont be."

Jason smiled running a hand threw his black hair, how could he ever repay her? For every thing she`s done for him? In reality she was more of a mother to him then his actual mother.

Leslie wiped her eyes again, "I missed you Jason."

"I missed you to." He said, she hugged him tightly and he hugged her back closing his eyes. for now this is where he wanted to be.

XXXXX

He had never really forgotten what it was like to sleep with his back to a wall, either way the night`s rest gave him the energy he needed for the next day. Roy hadn't woken up yet and Leslie said it was normal and his body was adjusting to the antidote while he thought Roy was just being a lazy ass and sleeping. he couldn't blame him, this was the first break they`ve had in months, non-stop work. sure it was fun, their war on crime and all but when they planed all day and worked all night the usual nessisarities such as eating, bathing and sleeping were thrown out the window.

What happened to Roy was a close call. To close, it made him wonder if this team thing wasn't working. That going at it alone was better than having to work with some one. Having to watch out, maybe being alone was the only thing to keep the people in his life alive. If so then, he was fine being alone.

Jason sat down on the roof of the building roof and watched the sun rising. The golden streaks stretched over the sky like slashes only being broken by flat light gray clouds. The psychos this city deserved each other.

"out of all places I never would have excepted to see you here."

Jason looked to see Roy climbing the small latter onto the roof, he walked over and sat down beside him with a deep sigh, "So..."

"So." Jason said quietly lost in thought, "Hey Roy."

"Yeah?" Roy asked blinking calmly at him. Jason ran a hand threw his greasy raven hair, "I`ve got a few things to do...out of town."

"Cool, this place is getting kind of depressing." Roy smiled leaning back on his hands and taking a big sigh, "Where are we going."

"Me."

"What?"

Jason turned his head to face Roy, "Me, Roy, I`m going alone."

Roy`s eyes flashed in something akin to alarm and surprise, "What? why? Is it because you don't think I can handle myself, because I can, I just didn't see scarecrow behind-"

"No," Jason said standing up and taking a few steps away from Roy like the Archer would drop dead right there. "I need some time, alone."

Roy pushed himself to his feet, "I understand that, but that still doesn't tell me why."

"Why?" Jason growled, "Because everyone around is dead or so close to dead that sometimes I wish you never took me out of that building when you knew all I wanted was for it to end!"

"Oh boo ho!" Roy snapped loudly, "IT`s so terrible that you came back, yes I get your pain but I`m so sick of you thinking your alone, you don't want to be here because you like being alone, face it your so blind to the fact that me, Batgirl and hell even Robin or trying to help you, your blinded by the fact the daddy didn't save you!"

Jason curled his fist and punched Roy making the red head stagger sideways and the glare up wiping the tiny trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Your right Roy, Bruce didn't save me, that's not my problem, my problem is he left Joker to kill again, and again and again! I don't care about Bruce! He made it clear that family means nothing to him and that we are alone, and you know what I get that." Jason chuckled in his anger, "If your alone you don't have to care if anyone dies."

"No!" Roy snapped walking over to him and placing his hands on Jason`s shoulders but Jason shrugged him off, "You are not Batman Jay, you are your own person, Your not the only person with family issues, hell I was cloned and Green arrow likes him better than me, but that's not my problem anymore, I know where I stand with Oliver now and you know, his opinion means nothing to me."

Jason narrowed his eyes, "Its so easy for you-,"

"fuck it is!" Roy snapped, "deal with what you have now Roy, you may not have much but you cant throw what you do have away just because you don't want feel anything when something happens."

"I don't want anyone to die around me anymore Roy, cant you understand that?" Jason said. Roy blinked, "I can, but people die Jay, they chose this life for a reason, they know one day they`ll die fighting for what`s right."

Jason took a deep breath and ran a hand threw his hand again digging his fingers into his scalp, Roy was right, it wasn't hard to see, what was holding him back from getting away from all this...shit?

he took another deep breath, Either way he was going to have to figure it out, shoving it to the back of his mind wasn't a option, but they had work to do, "Your right."

"Of course I am." Roy smiled in amusement trying to break the ice between them. Jason breathed a small laugh. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Jason asked following Roy down the latter and onto the side walk. Roy smirked, "I haven't eaten something good in months and I think there`s good diner up here, up for coffee?"

"Defiantly, we can talk about our next job." Jason said shoving his hands into his brown jacket, Roy raised an eyebrow, "The work never stops."

"Nope."

"What we got next?"

"multiple homicide." Jason informed.

"What makes this our kinda job?" Roy asked raising an eyebrow, Jason handed him a small photo, "I still have multiple connections as a crime lord you know, it would be stupid to drop that kind of information, any way one of my snitches caught glimpse and managed to get a quick pic of the guy."

"another guy playing hero?" Roy asked pushing the diner door open, Jason shrugged, "Beats me, but the people he`s kill haven't done anything wrong."

"Anything connecting the victims?" Roy and Jason sat in the back where their conversation wouldn't be heard, "I haven't been able to check." Jason said sitting opposite of Roy who was eyeing a pretty blonde waitress, "great something for me to do. I`ll check that out while you try to find anything at the crime scene, maybe he`s not do yet and we can find hit 'hit list'."

"That's what I was thinking, but what`s odd is there are his murders, not the victims, most are drowned weather in a tube or their own sink but others were burned, hung, and decapitated." Jason said as a waitress came over to them, "Coffee for me."

"dido, but I`ll take two pieces of pie." Roy smiled up at the blonde girl who smiled back sweetly. "What kind?"

"Surprise me." Roy smiled back at her. she left with the order, and Jason rolled his eyes, "anyway."

"And tells us what exactly?" Roy asked blinking once.

"I don't know." Jason frowned, "I`d better start looking."

"Your looking for a needle in a hay stack Jay-bird." Roy frowned, "Maybe one of you people can help you out."

"My people." Jason couldn't help but chuckle, Roy shrugged, "if you got people, us `em. I`m sure that little kid, Jim?"

"Tim."

"Either way, he`ll probably be with YJ by now why not ask Batgirl?" Roy said. Jason shook his head, "No, Bruce his cameras in their costumes, either way I cant always rely on them for help."

"When have you ever done that?" Roy asked.

"not for a while but still, I don't need their help, were the team and I`ll be fine searching, just hurry up and find a lead." Jason sighed.

"Okay, I wont push." Roy said but closed his mouth when the waitress brought their coffee and Roy`s two pieces of pie.

Once she left Roy slid one of the pieces of pie over to him, "breakfast."

"thanks." Jason smiled slightly and rolled his eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

"Roy," Jason said turning the com on, right now he stood alone in a small apartment, this was the most recent crime committed by their masked assailant. He walked over to the kitchen and ducked under the crime scene tap as the com burst to life again.

"Go for Archers, was up Jay-bird?" Roy chuckled in the com.

"I`m at the apartment you sent me to, your right, they didn't clear it out yet." Jason said switching the vision in his helmet as he made his way over to the sink the pink bloody water that this apartment owner was in was still there. but the only prints he saw weren't ones they were looking for.

"But the place is clean, guy didn't leaving anything in the kitchen." Jason said turning on and off the water in the sink before he walked out back into the living room.

"Hmm, nothing I already know, but get this dude," Roy said with a sigh. Jason switched his vision back quickly looking around the room as Roy talked, "I searched all the people that this guy drowned were on a cruses ship just a few months ago, the think started to sink but pretty much a the last minuet almost everyone was saved and brought back to Gotham."

"Is that the only thing connecting the drowned victims? What about all the others?" Jason asked. Looking at a family photo.

"I`m checking but from what I see, this one guy was burned to death, and about two months ago Nightwing saved him." Roy said, "Coast guard took care of the sinking ship so he`s not after the people the bat family saved so no worries there but his district seems to be Gotham." Roy sighed, Jason could just barley hear the tapping of the pen in the Archer`s hand.

Jason put the photo down and picked up another, then frowned, there was the man that had been drowned but beside him were two girls obviously wife and daughter standing on the pear waiting to board a ship named, Rival.

"Arsenal? What`s the ships name? the one that drowned." Jason asked as a precaution.

"Ummmmmhmmmm," Roy said searching, "hmm the Rival, why?"

Jason quickly put the picture down, "This guy wasn't alone on the ship, he has a wife and daughter, walk me threw this did any other of his relatives die on the ship if not where are they located?" Jason snapped jumping out the window and climbing to the roof.

"No, there alive, they live on oak road not far just head west, it`s right across the old Gotham studio, fourth floor." Roy rushed, "I`ll meet you there!"

"Got it." Jason said taking off and grappling to the third building to the west to propel himself.

Jason landed rolling to break the fall but was on his feet without stopping. He jumped down into the street knowing he wouldn't be able to jump the gap.

Jason landed hard on top of a moving car and jumped up catching a light post and swinging to the roofs above. at that moment he was able to see the lights of the theater. As quickly as he could he jumped a small alley landing on the building he was supposed to be on, he continued and jumped grabbing a thin cable that lit the theater and cut it swinging back around and crashing threw the forth floor window of the apartment next door.

He staggered to his feet hitting the wall and not being able to stop, but he got his baring and ran to the light in the hall way, he pulled out his gun and busted to door and pointed the guns at a tall masked man carrying a young teen, passed out and holding her over a full and leaking tub. Her arms and legs were duct taped.

"I didn't except you." the man replied in a husky voice.

"Put the girl down." Jason growled, The man`s face was covered in a mirrored mask he couldn't even see eyes holes but he could tell the man was smiling, "I was just about to." he dropped her into the tub with a splash and in the small space tackled Jason threw the hall and into the living room, on to the floor. Jason pulled his legs to his chest and pushed the man back before jumping to his feet and shooting at him, the bullets bounced off the man`s mask but cracked it. Jason side stepped another tackle and elbowed the man in the face cracking the mask some more but hurting his arm in the proses. the man spun to face him and tried to kick him in the stomach but Jason jumped and kicked the man in the chest.

He grabbed his leg and spun him around throwing Jason into the wall, He forced the black spots from his eyes and got to his feet only to be punched in both sides, he gasped getting the air knocked out of him.

But he wasn't going to be beat so easily, he ducked and slid under the man`s legs coming out on his back on the other side and kicking him into the wall face first. Jason jumped up shoved his foot to the back of the guy`s head as Roy jumped threw the already broken window.

"Bathroom!" Jason yelled. Roy ran to it and before Jason could follow a foot hit him in the chest knocking him to the floor. the man stood over him and pressed a foot on his chest pressing hard.

"ACK!" Jason gasped, he pulled out his knife and threw it up at the man, it clipped the side of his mask making the man stagger back in alarm and the knife hit the ceiling, Jason kicked to his feet and jumped up grabbing the knife and pulling his feet up shoveling the man back and into the already cracked wall.

"No!" The man gasped as he crashed into it, the wall collapsed and everything was silent. Roy rushed in helping a the young girl into the room as she coughed and stuttered tears ran down her face and she dripped water everywhere, he looked to the knocked out man lying still in the heap of rubble that used to be the wall.

"My, MOM!" The girl managed to gasped and started to cough again. Jason headed into the kitchen to see a woman on the floor, quickly he kneelt down and flipped her onto her back feeling for a pulse. there was none, he hair was soaked and lip were a light blue witch meant the man went for her first but her skin was still somewhat warm, and he wasn't giving up.

He opened her arm way and pulled off his hood, he still had his eye mask on so it was fine, not that it mattered right now, he went over the vague CPR training Alfred had given him way back when and started with two breaths to feed her air and put his hands over her chest fifteen pushes to make her heart pump.

"Come on." He growled, suddenly the woman started sputtering water up and gasp, he quickly helped her sit up against the wall as her daughter raced to her mother`s side, Jason stood up and walked out of the room with Roy, he opened his mouth to talk but something caught his eye and both he and Roy turned around to see Batgirl standing by the window. "What are you doing here." She asked Jason narrowed his eyes at the sourness in her voice.

Roy put his hands on his hips and glared at Batgirl, "This is our mission so I should as you the same thing."

"Actually I`ve been following this lead for three weeks." Barbara said her eyes darted to Jason, "We need to talk Red."

"Not till you take that little camera out of your suit," Jason growled, "didn't Bruce tell you?"

"Yes, but right now I cant worry about that, I have to worry about mirror."

"That's his name?" Roy asked, "what`s his problem."

"I`ll inform you once he`s locked up." She said.

Barbara frowned, "Yeah, anyway," she said walking closer to them, "Mirror can wait five minuets, just so you know Robin Texted me about the camera`s and I did get ride of it, but right now, Tim is looking for you Red. He`s been with the team at nights and looking to talk to you for the last two weeks, here`s this, go find Robin before someone else breaks away from this screwed up family." She handed him a phone, Jason took it and pocketed it.

"Robin can wait," He said, "We have work to do."

"Yes, you do."

The three turned around to see mirror, looking at Batgirl, "I knew you would show, so I planned ahead."

"No!" Batgirl yelled as the man pulled out a detonator, "IT just so happens my next victim is next door enjoying a good show." he pressed it and the ground shook with a loud boom from the theater next door.

"Help them!" Jason yelled as Mirror disappeared, Batgirl tried to follow Jason who took off after Mirror but Roy pulled her back, "Don't, he`s right we have to help them."

Jason jumped down the stairs and landed on Mirror, they both tumbled down the stair locked together hitting each step. Once they hit the floor did Jason get top and grab mirror`s head and smash it against the floor. the man threw a punch up catching Jason in his lower jaw, he instantly fell back, he almost forgot how hard this guy hit, if he got to many punches in no amount of training was going to keep him from passing out.

Mirror stood over him, "Your not on my list, witch means I can kill you any way I chose, first you then Batgirl!" Mirror leapt at him and Jason put his feet up to push him back but the man wrapped his hands around his throat.

"Your not killing anyone!" Jason gasped and pushed him back. He jumped up and upercutted the man breaking the bottom of the mask. Mirror was a push over though and sent a jab at Jason`s stomach, he gasp and put his fist together and smashed them into the side of mirrors head.. he had to act fast if he didnt want another cracked rib. He grabbed the man`s upped arms to pull himself up and knee him in the face.

He dropped down again and the moment he did he jumped up and kicked him sending the man flying into a large window that brock on impact. Jason pulled out his last gun, he really needed to quit losing so many, and walked over to mirror who was trying his best to keep conscious. Jason put a foot on the man`s wide chest and pointed the gun at Mirror`s now half exposed face.

"I...cant...die, not like this, I don't die like this." Mirror gasped, "Your...a...hero, you would never."

"Thing is, I`m not a hero, there`s no such thing," Jason growled loading the chamber, "wrong on both counts." He pulled the trigger and narrowed his eye walking away as he pocketed his gun.

Roy ran over to him covered in ash, "cough we done?" he growled.

"Yep." Jason nodded. Batgirl ran over to them coughing as well, "You, you killed him?"

"I`m not who I used to be, the guy was crazy, he deserved it." Jason growled.

"Doesn't mean you kill him!" Barbara yelled.

"For us it does." Jason growled.

"Lets go." Roy growled irritatingly slouching as he grappled to the roof tops. Jason could see the large amount of disapproval in Barbara`s eyes, "Listen babs, out of all those fools you should be the one who know what I`m about, but just because I wont kill you, doesn't mean I have to care what you think of me, I`ll give Timmy boy a call, just so you know."

Barbara didnt say anything se just crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. Jason shrugged and grappled after Roy.

XXXX

Jason threw his hood on the floor and sighed, "Hello bed." he smiled. he sat down on the edge of the bed pulling off his jacket, but paused when his pocket vibrated. he blinked pulling out the phone and answered.

"Hello?" Said someone on the other end.

"Tim?" Jason asked frowning, great, now he was never going to sleep.

"Barb told me she gave you the phone..." Tim said tiredly, this must be his only free time, Jason felt almost sorry for the kid. When he didnt say anything there was along pause of silence and Jason check twice to make sure to phone was still on.

"Tim?"

"You know I didnt know about the camera`s right?" Tim asked, Jason could almost see the kid biting on his nails.

"Yeah, I-" Jason took a deep breath, "I do trust you Tim."

"You didnt have to burn the cave...or shoot Bruce, or even have to be there." Tim said a little louder.

"I needed something a Bruce was in my way." Jason said rolling his eyes, "Not everything is peace, love and those heart shaped cookies Miss M makes."

"I would have gotten it for you I you just asked." Tim said trying not to laugh at that last part.

"That would ruin you image Golden boy, Bruce has to care about some one or he`ll start to shrivel." Jason said pulling the phone between his shoulder and ear as he got up and threw a few things into the closet absent mindedly.

"I`m not golden boy Jason, least not anymore." Tim said. the was another pause, "Can we meet, talking on the phone is...weird."

"Sure, were?" Jason yawned, no sleep, check.

Jason spun around as the window opened and Tim climbed in, "How?" Jason asked baffled and turned the phone off.

"I followed Catwoman one time, it`s not like her to steal medical supplies." Tim said running a hand threw his hair, Jason frowned when he heard the slightest sound of a sniffle.

"What`s wrong?" Jason asked.

Tim smiled sadly up at him, "You were right, you know Bruce has never lied to me, about anything, he said he trusted me with things I should know, and then I find out he put a camera in my mask. I guess that's something only he should know," Tim hefted a small laugh, "I didnt listen to you, I though you were lying, and I know this is stupid to be upset about something so small like this but to think he went behind my back..." Tim said looking away.

Jason frowned, "sorry Tim, now you know."

"Just makes me wonder what else doesn't tell me, god I feel like a baby I mean people lie and I just though- I though Bruce was different, I used to think he trusted me with things but now, I sound stupid."

"No you don't, you feel a little betrayed and being Robin that happens a lot more than if should, Bruce will yell and shout and tell you that your not ready for anything but the real fact is he just doesn't want...anything to happen to you, sorry that happened to you Tim."

"Me too." Tim sniffled.

"Your still golden boy." Jason shrugged smirking, Tim smiled sadly, and Jason growled, "Does it really mean that much to you that he lied?"

"IT does, only because I was so stupid to thin he would never do anything like that oh well." Tim said holding back a yawn.

"Your on your last hours kid. better get some sleep." Jason informed knowingly.

Tim nodded, and looked up, "Hey Jason-,"

"Fine you can hang here for the night." He sighed.

"Omigod thank you," Tim gasped walking over to him and hugging him.

"Why does everyone keep hugging me?" Jason growled. Tim mumbled, "I`ve been avoiding Bruce and sleeping on the couch in Young Justice I need one for my brother."

"I hate you." Jason sighed.

"I hate you to." Tim chuckled. Tim finally let him go and Jason picked up a pillow, "I`ll crash on the couch you stay here, if Roy comes in here in the middle of the night talking about that old cheers show just keep nodding until he goes away."

"Kay" Tim smiled jumping on the bed, obviously making himself at him, when he pulled off his mask Jason could see dark bags under his eyes and it was no wonder why he didn't care where he slept as long as he slept.

Jason left the room and threw the pillow on the couch jumping on it and nodding at Roy who was sitting cross-legged on the floor by the TV fixing his Arrows.

"Is he joining?" Roy asked smirking.

"No, he`s just had a falling out with Bats and needs a place to crash." Jason said closing his eyes.

"Really, because the kid isn't bad, he`s not great but he`s not bad." Roy said.

"Two`s a crowd Roy and three is a pain in the butt, he`s not joining even if he wanted to, he`s Robin Roy, Robin doesn't kill people." Jason said his eyes still closed.

"He could be our pupil, ha! he`ll need better name, how bout..."Roy laughed quietly.

"Oh my god Roy I you keep talking I`m going to kill you." Jason growled.

"You cant live without me." Roy snickered.

"Jerk." Jason growled.

"Bitch." Roy shot back jokingly.

With that Jason passed out and nothing could wake him up.


	9. Chapter 9

Tim walked into the living room quietly rubbing one eye tiredly and sitting down next to Jason who was cleaning his gun leaned up against the wall while Roy sat on the couch charging his arm, something that still freaked Jason out to an extent. Tim looked down at Jason put his gun down and looked up.

"I have to go, but I wanted to ask, now I know this is a long shot question but would you guys want to come to the teams forth of july party, it`s been a whole six months since the reach invasion and were celebrating the peaceful time we have for now." Tim asked putting on his mask. Jason shook his head, "Your right it was a long shot, sorry Tim but having us there would be a bad Idea, since one they don't know I`m alive and they hate Roy here."

"Yeah but everyone`s coming justice league, the team even a few out of town people like um Donna troy and Dr. Fate." Tim said, "You guys were part of the team so why not come?"

"Tim, I`m not giving up my identity to anyone else, last time I did that I had my hand, head and a few mental locks in my head broken, and I`m sure Roy whats to keep his other arm." Jason said.

"Yeah, having two murdering criminals isn't going to be good not even your girlfriend will side with you boy wonder." Roy said folding his arms behind his head. Tim rolled his eyes, "but-

"Sorry Kid, It`s not a good Idea." Roy said

Jason stood up and ruffled Tim`s hair, "Yeah, no one wants us there and we don't want to be there problem solved."

"I want you there and so does Batgirl, your still hero`s and why not have a day off?" Tim asked tilting his head. The two shook their heads, "No is No bud." Roy said.

"Yeah, besides we`ve got things to do." Jason said.

"come on please, you`ve got to get out of Gotham, and Starcity sometime." Tim argued.

"No." The two team-mate said in unison.

"don't push it golden boy," Jason growled, "We're not in your boy scout team or the league because we don't need, want or shouldn't be there."

Roy nodded his agreement and continued to talk but Jason tuned out, the thought coming to mind. Donna troy. Over the past, what? Six years? And his old friend had only crossed his mind a few times in that time. Yeah they fought a little in the beginning but they were friends. He wasn't saying it wouldn't be nice to see an old friend but it was that and give up the fact he was still here and that secret he wanted away from the team, league and Donna.

He was lucky enough Batman and Nightwing hadn't posted it on the JLA bios. Bruce was a solitary person.

He shook himself from thought and the two nodded stiff goodbyes to Tim who was out the window before he could blink.

XXXXX

Jason threw the duffle bag of stolen equipment over his head to the window above him and Roy caught it quickly disappearing from the window. When he didn't come up Roy stuck his head out and frowned, "You going out again for more?"

"Nah, I need a break." Jason smirked pulling out a cigarette . Roy narrowed his eyes, "Bad habit Jay-bird."

"Fuck off." He growled harmlessly, Roy waved him off absently and disappeared back inside. Jason walked closer to the shadows lighting the cigarette and taking a small breath to cool his nerves. Suddenly he pulled out his knife and pushed the person who attacked a second later, he easily pushed the person up against to wall and stabbed the knife threw one of the attackers sleeves pinning the arm to the wall and holding the other arm to the person`s, now a known woman, chest.

"My arnt you on edge." The woman chuckled. Jason smirked, "yeah, that happens when you have someone watching you."

"Your one to watch, I see you`ve made a name for yourself Jason." she said, he could almost see her smile in the dark.

"You know me, how could I not." he smiled, the girl smirked in the darkness. "I need a favor Jason."

"what makes you think I`ll help?" He asked, the woman leaned forward, warm breath hitting his face, "I know you could never resist, plus you owe me and if I recall you hate oweing anyone."

Jason chuckled, "tell me what you want and I`ll think about it."

"am I scaring you away." she asked her brown eyes flashing in the dark as a car passed the alleyway lighting up everything for a moment before turning everything dark again. Jason leaned forward and the girl did the same brushing her lips against his softly. he pulled away, "We even."

"Not even close." She smirked.

"Your going to make me work arnt you Talia?" Jason sighed reaching up and pulling the knife from her sleeve and taking a step back.

"ITs only a small mission." She said, "I`m have a little disagreement with Freeze who`s up in the artic, normally I`d go or I would send my father`s men, but he`ll just freeze them and I`m as you know very busy. The man has a formula I need for something important. Get it and you`ll owe me nothing."

"Whats this about?" Jason growled.

"Nothing that is meant to harm anyone." Talia said. "You have my word."

"sadly that's all I do have, fine, give me a ride there and me and Arsenal will be there asap." Jason sighed narrowing his eyes . Talia smiled and held out two tickets, "Already done."

XXXX

"So let me get this straight." Roy growled jumping over Blockbuster who charged at him and them crashed into the wall. Jason threw a cable around the block busters neck and Roy joining him in pulling the creature to the floor. "You want me to freeze my ass of because you owe some chick?"

"I didn't say you had to come." Jason growled walking over to Block buster and using tranquilizer on him, once he stepped back Roy shot a foam encased arrow at the beast to hold him to the floor of the abandoned subway.

"Yeah, but its my obligation as a partner to go to, why do you even care about Talia?" Roy growled. heading to the steps, Jason followed by his side, "Talia has helped me out more that you know, besides, like you said a few days ago, it would be nice to leave this place for once, I think widening of jurisdiction is best."

"Great, then will have another reason not to crash a Justice League party," Roy smirked, "seriously though this is great, getting out of our cities will be good, no more of these weirdo`s, if going to the artic get us away from this part of the world and that crumbly apartment then I`d leave right now."

"Good because we are, let me get something from the back first." he said.

"fine with me, I`ve got all I need right here," he smiled at his own robotic arm.

"That's great." Jason said rolling his eyes.

"Jay, you know once we stare expanding our jurisdiction were going to find a lot more people than the bats and green arrows gang." Roy informed.

"I know, and I think It`s time some people knew were out there, not as Jason Todd and Roy harper but as Arsenal and Red hood." Jason said.

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Roy smiled. "Just promise we wont try to get on the teams radar because even though I`m not against kicking most of their asses I wouldn't mind some side not trying to kill us."

"trust me, the last thing I want to see is Young Justice." Jason said.


	10. Chapter 10

"Why did I agree to this?" Roy growled, they stood on the private air way stretch, freezing cold winds hit both of them like being hit in the face with a clever. This one building was the only thing they could see for miles, everything else was just snow, ice and more snow.

Jason threw a duffle bag to Roy, "Cool it, the fast we get this done the fast we can get out of here."

"Our next case better be somewhere in Hawaii." Roy grumbled pulling on the snow suit and draping the hood over his head as Jason did the same but with his red hood still on. Roy checked to make sure his arm was loaded while Jason strapped the two berretta M9`s to his thighs. As Roy looked over his laser, witch they were probably going to need a lot, Jason walked over to the snow mobile.

they had everything they needed and more. "You ready Harper?"

Jason looked over his shoulder to see Roy looking around at the sky frowning, wind whipped around them for a moment before settling down only if a bit, it was enough to get his attention also. "You know what that was?"

Roy shrugged walking over and getting on the snow mobile while Jason got on his, "I have a thought, not a good one though."

"Spill." Jason said.

Roy sighed, "Avoiding Young Justice is going to be hard considering, you know there wind speed thing, the bio ship."

"Damn I forgot about the cloaking device." Jason growled.

"IF we play it cool we should be able to avoid them, they went the other way." Roy informed. Jason revved the snow mobile, "Then what are we waiting for, lets head out, before this storm gets any worse."

Jason and Roy took off quickly. Not being able to hear anything except the howling of the wind in this artic waste land. Jason blinked casting a glance over at Roy. His friend was just a bit ahead so he couldn't see the annoyed expression on his face. IF Roy was freezing then that was his own fault, Jason told him he didn't have to come, one reason this weather and the second being the fact that they were doing this for none other than Talia Al Ghul and working with the daughter of the man he and the group of sidekicks had taken down just six months ago.

plus the idea they might become some type of hired help made him want to barf.

Jason looked over to Roy, he could see the calculated look on his face past the snow hood. It was easy to see the real reason why I had done this even easier to see why Roy was more than happy about it. They were leaving their city`s, and like Roy had said this would be good for them.

The only one good reason he never wanted to see young justice is because one good reason. His past. he had spent to much time wasted on worrying about his past, what had happen and to tell the truth he was sick of it, sick of the way he didn't let go, sick of Getting angry at the thought of Batman, he was sick of Gotham and most of all sick of the nightmares. Tired of his thoughts.

Young Justice was a thing of his past, and his past was behind him.

hon inn myo. Jason smirked, This day Forward. Maybe Ducra`s teachings weren't lost to him yet.

What about Roy? He had his life figured out long before he had, he could of left gone on his own long ago. Roy was a grown man, he has and will always do what he things is best, but why he was him, he had no clue. Maybe he knew Jason was excepting this team to end in ruins and was too stubborn to be the first to leave. Really if he thought about it the fact they had similar experiences and were so thick headed was the only thing holding this "Team" together. Sad.

They slowed the snow mobiles to a stop when they got as close as they could to their finial destination.

The two looked at the small ice cave, Victor freezes Lair.

XXXX

"This is your fault!" Roy snapped at him as the two ducked behind the overturned table.

"Shut up and Aim high!" Jason growled jumping from the hiding spot, Freeze shot at him but miss,. Roy shot the laser off over Victor Freeze`s head making snow fall on top on him. Jason tried to keep his balance as the cave shook violently have just lost a chuck of ceiling on freeze.

"Watch it!" Jason yelled, "Your going to burry us!"

Roy narrowed his eyes at him and Jason didn't see freeze climb from the snow and shot him with the ice gun, IT froze only his arm and Jason brought up his other hand and shot Freezes Gun while Roy shot and arrow, it hit Victor`s shoulder and the gun curst in his hands.

"You think a little friction will stop me?" Victor growled.

"No," Roy growled, "But lets see how you do when I turn up the heat." the arrow in Mr. Freeze`s shoulder busted into flames right in his face making him gag. Freeze forced his eyes open and pulled another gun out but Jason ran up to him kicking it out of his hands and spinning around once for momentum before smashing his frozen arm in Freezes face.

Jason leaned forward and pulled the chemical from Freeze`s belt and pocketed it. "Now we can go."

"Thank god!" Roy shivered, "I`m freezing."

Before Roy and Jason could take another step, a bright light blinded the whole room and the ground started to shake. Jason fell to his knees gasping as air was quickly sucked from the room and looked up to see Roy shooting the ceiling to break up the large blocks of ice that would have killed them, Jason tried to get to his feet to help but he fell, and it was barely seconds later that the roof of the ice cave collapsed on them.

XXXXX

JAson pushed the snow away from his face gasping and pulling himself out. he laid down on the heap of snow trying to catch his breath. his sides seemed to have been pushed in and it took him a moment to get his breath back.

"Roy!" Jason gasped and pulled himself to where he last saw Roy and started to dig. He leapt back when to snow beneath his fingers started to turn red and a laser beam shot past him and into the sky. Roy`s hand reached out and Jason quickly grabbed it pulling him up and onto the snow pile beside him. They both collapsed onto the snow breathing hard and painfully.

"What...happened?" Roy gasped winching and grabbing his side.

"The... roof...it collapsed, but it wasn't us who did it." Jason said getting most of his breath back. As if in reply a hand shot out of the snow a few feet away, it couldn't e Freeze, who had blue frost bitten skin, Jason pulled out his sword and stood up taking a few steps. The hand fell against the snow as if the person didn't have the strength to pull himself out and Jason sighed before he and Roy pushed a few handfuls of snow away from a man a little older than Jason not to mention severely nude witch is why they kept the mans lower half covered in the snow.

The man`s eyes fluttered open and a smile plastered his face, "Thank you."

"It cant be." Roy gasped, as the man passed out again , Roy pushed snow off the man`s beard reveling more features then before and Jason sighed, "God damn it."


	11. Chapter 11

Jason frowned eyes narrowed as he sat at the able with the man they had found in the arctic, of course they hadn't gone back to Gotham or their old hide out so this motel in Canada was the closest thing to one shelter and two, clothes because this guy was completely naked half the trip till now. He still had his hood on and the same uneasy feeling as when Tim asked them to come to young justice for one night, now it wasn't optional.

"Really," The man said scarfing away at his food like he would never eat again, "Thanks."

"No problem, it seem like a good idea to take the person who nearly buried us." Jason growled folding his arms over his chest and leaning back in the chair.

The man frowned, his green eye calculating, "Who are you again, I think I`ve seen the mask before it`s just-"

"That doesn't matter." Jason growled.

"Weren't there two of you, I thought I heard two people before I passed." The man said finishing his food and looking around for more.

"You ask a lot of questions, Wally." Jason said, the man`s whole posture seemed to change in a second, he was completely stiff and his eye wary.

"So, You know me." Wally growled. Jason got up and walked to the sofa picking up his gun, and pocketing it before picking up a few things more and throwing them to Wally, "Here, go change into this and we can leave, and please of the love of god shave your face, you look like a lumber jack."

Wally was still tense as he got up and headed to the restroom closing the door behind him and the second he was out Roy burst in the front door, "This is great isn't it." He growled sarcastically, Jason rolled his eyes, "It`s fine, we can just drop him of at young Justice or better yet he can run there." Jason growled, "We don't need nor have anything to do with him."

"But he knows me," Roy growled, "And even if you took off your helmet he still my recognize you."

Jason sighed, "so either way somebody will try to find us and ask what happened."

"OF course they will." Roy growled.

Jason opened his mouth to say something but ended up pulling his phone from his pocket and putting Talia on the screen. "Did you get it?"

"Yeah I got your shit, debt repaid and now leave me alone." Jason growled. The door behind him opened and Wally walked out and Jason turned back to see her eyes wide, "You know him?" Jason growled, this just kept getting better and better!

"Enough to know his more useful then the serum I want, how's this bring both of them to the café down the street in two hours and I`ll take both off you hands." Talia said.

"No can do-," JAson narrowed his eyes, "How do know where we are."

"I`m not stupid Jason, please hand over Kid Flash, I know you don't want to make this harder than what it`s worth." Talia tried to bargain. But Again Jason shook his head, "No deal, I`ll leave you precious crap on the front step and you can pick it up yourself, Wally`s coming with us back to his team."

"I`m sorry you feel that way." Talia sighed, "Fine, you underestimate the fact of witch side I`m really on. Goodbye."

The phone shut off and Wally narrowed his eyes at the two, glancing to Roy, "What`s happening?"

Jason quickly threw the phone and pulled off the snow jacket and his signature light brown one, Roy handed him a thermal arrow and Jason threw it down burning in all.

"What was that for?" Wally asked still wary of them but the sight of one familiar face was calming enough and his days as a hero helping him not freak.

Talia`s been tracking us since we left Gotham, I don't know how but being the only that's had any direct contact with her this is the only way I can be sure she knows nothing." Jason growled and Roy grabbed Wally by the upper arm and the three walked out the motel door.

"Run, and don't stop we`ll keep them busy." Jason said. Wally raised his hands in panic, "Not that I`m not thrilled to be leaving but who`s them?"

"Talia`s probably desperate to be on her father`s good side right now, hence that's why she wanted to formula she sent me to fetch, he loyalty to Ra`s make`s her insane in a way and she`ll be sending her best to deliver you to her."

"Got it." Wally said his green eyes wide, "Wow, I`m gone for-,"

"Six months." Roy said loading his arm.

"S-six months, and I`m wanted the second I get back." Wally tried to see the humor in it but he was still processing the fact he was still alive and in the hands of the Red hood and Arsenal. he couldn't help but feel bad for the guy.

"Wally, go to a zeta beam and head for watch tower, the team is located there now." Roy informed, "Go!"

Wally nodded and took off but stopped about a few yards away, Jason and Roy ran to his side, "What's...wrong...with me?!" He gasped trying to get his breath back.

"Your having a withdraw of your powers, you cant run for days until it`s over, maybe weeks." Roy growled and Jason

smirked under his mask, "Makes me glad I don't have any."

"That makes two of us."

Jason pulled out his sword and spun around as did the other two behind him, to see Death stroke leaning up against a parked car a few measly yards away.

"I don't usually take request so sudden but when Talia posted the name of the prize I just couldn't resist," Deathstroke chuckled, "Plus, there`s a huge cash prize bigger then all three of your ego`s combined."

Jason took one step towards Deathstroke but Roy grabbed his shoulder, "Red, No, we have to protect Wally while we get him to Young Justice, we have to stick together and Wally cant fight yet."

"I`m not useless." Wally growled, "Black canary taught us how to fight with out powers."

"Yeah but we cant take a chance can we, if you use your power even on accident, your heart will burst into tiny pieces. you still want to try?" Roy growled. Wally shook his head and Jason turned around to see Death stroke was gone. "Shit, get to a car." he growled.

The two team mates kept Wally between them as they made there way to a car, Suddenly death stroke was on top of Jason and they rolled on the ground.

"Stop moving!" Roy yelled, Death stoke pinned Jason to the ground but Red wasn't done he quickly brought his knee up into Deathstroke`s stomach and punched him in the face. He raced for his sword on the floor just barley out of reach but Deathstroke wasn't a wuss and punched Jason in the side and smashed their heads together.

"Ack!" they both yelled in pain. Jason took the moments pause to flips Deathstroke over and sat on his waist and punched him in the face Deathstroke reached at him and they rolled Death stock gaining top back but Jason moved so his feet were on the man`s stomach and hand on his shoulder and pushed him in the air. Jason reached for his blade and jumped up slashing it across the man`s chest but Slade had the same idea and got a good shot on his arm. before either could move Roy shot the laser at Death stoke.

The man flew back into a parked car breaking the side windows on impact before falling to the floor unconscious.

"We don't have time to get carried away!" Roy growled, Jason shook his head and raced after his partner to the car where Wally was waiting biting his lip so hard he was almost bleeding.

Roy jumped into the back while Jason slid in the front seat. Jason was happy to see Roy or Wally had already hot wired it and He swerved the car back around seeing Slade had gotten to his feet and was in their way.

"Don't hit him!" Wally yelled in panic. Slade knew Jason would do it the look int he man`s eyes as he stood in the middle of the street said it all and Jason floored it the smell of burning rubbed entering the car

"Don't!" Wally yelled one foot on the dash board as it that would stop the car. Jason smirked and when he could see every detail of Slade he pulled on the wheel side ways and the car slid on the road side ways. Roy waved out his window and shot his arrow blowing the ground at Slades feet as the man jumped in surprise and Jason hit his foot against the gas against driving threw a dirt road. Mud splattered every inch of the car and the side window as it bounced up and down the uneven road .

Wally took a deep breath before getting in his face, "Who the hell are you!"

Roy pushed Wally back as he climbed into between the two front seats, ""Where to now?"

"Talia`s got operatives every where, so anywhere we go wont be safe." Jason growled, not that they ever were.

"And didn't you hear the guy, Talia posted this crap like they have some evil web page, every villain on the planet will know we have a now well and alive kid flash while hmp, we get zero help from the JLA or their cheer leaders!"

"Why don't you just call the team?" Wally growled, "Don't you have their frequency? he asked Roy.

"No, I ditched it once the team started working in the watch tower, I didn't want them to ask for my help not that they`ve needed it, but now I see it was a bad Idea." Roy sighed.

"You think?" Wally said, "What about some super people, there`s at least one in every city."

Jason gave him a side glance, "And at least ten super villain`s comes with every hero, bedside's were not going to the states, were going somewhere I know Talia wont think we would go."

"Where." the two asked.

"Hope you guys like Chinese's food." Jason chuckled.

XXXXXX

Jason pushed to door to the suit open and walked inside throwing the keys on the side table by the tiny fake desk bush. Roy and a tired, jet lag, Wally walked in. Roy looked around the room and instantly noticed the multiple plants and bushes on the deck outside not to mention a few in the room.

"Never took you for a green thumb kinda guy J-**Red." **They looked over at Wally who ran a hand threw his own red hair and didn't seem to notice the almost slip up.

"I`m not," Jason said walking over to one of the plants and pulling out a small gun, "Each has something in it, well not all of them."

"Great is there any food in them?" Wally asked, Jason and Roy shared a look but, Wally was right, everyone was hungry, and no that Wally wasn't using up all his food at once he got less hungry. Jason walked over to the fridge and pulled out some fresh food tossing something to Roy them Wally and walked away into the kitchen to take his mask off and eat a small apple, and to fix his hat hair.

"Who is this guy Roy, seriously?" Wally whispered from the living room couch.

"A good friend." Roy said some where further off probably looking at one of the guns in the plants.

"Your a team?" Wally asked, "God, why else have I missed."

"Um, Robin and Cassie are dating, Impulse took your name as Kid Flash and Artemis had your child she never told you about." Roy said calmly.

"WHAT!?" Wally gasped, Roy laughed, "I`m joking about the last part."

"That still doesn't tell me who this guy is." Wally growled, "Why should I trust him, not to turn me in for the money?"

"I trust him and that's all you need to worry about, besides were saving your life, a little gratitude would be nice." Roy hissed.

"Oh, my god your right, thank you for bringing me to Hong Kong because after I come back from god knows where I`d much rather go sigh seeing with two complete whack jobs then go and see my family." Wally said sarcastically. Jason put his helmet back on and walked back into the room as he tightened his helmet, Wally saw this and blinked curiously. he wanted to know.

"I know how you must feel Wally but going to them will be Talia`s and everyone`s first guest. staying away for now will only do **them** good, now," JAson said sitting down, "can you tell us where you were the past six months?"

"I don't know." Wally said leaning forward, "there was all this stuff around like, from different times, I kept running and everything and when I ran I felt this thing pulling on my chest telling me to run faster but I couldn't until I let go I felt more powerful and I was faster to and suddenly I was buried in snow and couldn't breath so where I was, your guess was as good as mine."

The room was silent for a moment before Roy spoke up, "I think you were in the speed force, Flash described the same thing after fighting a rouge there, but he was able to control it because he was faster from the start."

"How do you know that?" Jason asked raising a eye brow, Roy smirked leaning against a table, "Oliver never kept his mouth shut about what went on int hat floating bee hive of the leagues so when flash told the league he told me."

"Great," Wally sighed, "Nice to know our secrets are for all ears."

"There shouldn't be any secrets-," Jason snapped but wally interrupted.

"Says the man in a mask." Wally said.

"You know full well why I wear one, why you used to." Jason snapped back coldly.

"Okay, lets settle down, the objective is to live." Roy said walking over to them. Jason leaned back to his seat as Wally did the same, they stared at each other eyes narrowed. Roy sighed and pulled on Jason`s shoulder and he got up walking into the kitchen.

"Why are you fighting with him? there`s no need for it!" Roy growled crossing his arms over his chest. Jason rolled his eyes, "Pfft, please, if he didn't already know you then you`d be doing the same thing."

"I`m just saying It`s been at least six years that he last saw you as what, a fifteen year old he wont remember you. even if he does well tell him not to tell, he`s not Oliver." Roy pointed out.

"No he`s wally west the biggest mouth in the world, I tell him and he`ll tell everyone and who knows what`ll happen." Jason spat.

Roy and Jason had their own staring contest for a minute before Roy sighed, "How long are we going to be here?"

"Only a hour or so, I`ve go things here we can use, we`ll head back to the states. We`ll need to get changed and hide some things are faces arnt included so I`m counting on him not remembering me." Jason said taking a deep breath.

"That means I wont get past security." Roy snickered holding up his arm, Jason smirked and shock his head, "Wrong, I`ve got a private ride we can sneak in but there are still camera`s and even if Talia doesn't have and groupies here someone will be watching for us. so civilian up." Jason walked over to the wall and pulled out a secret compartment, Roy whistled with a smile, "Shit, you do come prepared."

Jason smirked, "Every knife, gun and armor I could fit in here. This is where I stored some shit after I left the All-Caste and I was ready for a fight and Gotham just wasn't close enough, I still get a few bucks from the richest crime bosses here."

"How much?" Roy smirked, "I have to ask."

"where 10% gets me all this, you have no idea how much I have left." Jason smirked, "seriously don't ask."

He put most of the weaponry in a duffle bag and pulled out some civilian clothes but on the way his all-caste uniform fell out. Jason smiled and picked it up looking over it, "good times."

"Was that like some assassin school?" Roy asked.

"You could say that, but the way I look at it," Jason said, "They made me better then Batman ever could."

Wally walked in, "Batman? Your from Gotham, great, no wonder your crazy."

Jason surprisingly didn't taking that as a bad thing you had to be crazy to survive those lunatics. He handed him a different pair of Jeans and a shirt while Jason pulled out a leather jacket and a black T-shirt with black jeans. All three quickly got dressed in different rooms and walked out, he let wally get a good look at his face but there was not recognition in his green eyes.

Jason strapped the duffle bag over his shoulder ignoring the fact Wally kept looking at his face. "We ready."

"Yep." Roy nodded they looked at Wally who sighed, "Yeah."

They headed to the door and Jason opened it and growled at the appearance of a tall man, Jason blinked narrowing his eyes, "You`ve got the wrong room."

The man`s eyes shot to wally who took a step back, "I thin not."

"Sportsmaster." as they muttered. The man grabbed Jason but the shirt and pulled him into the hall and hit Roy in the nose with his lower arm before stopping in front of Wally, "Your not going back to Artemis, I`m not having a quitter for a daughter. She`s in this game I don't care what side."

Wally smirked, "You`ll never be able to control her." The speedster jumped up and summersaulted hitting Sports master in the jaw with each heal before touching the ground a few feet away from the man, "Stop trying."

Jason pulled out a hand full of ninja stars and threw them at Sports Masters feet, Smoke covered the room and Roy and Wally ran out shoving the man to the floor.

"Go!" Roy growled shoving Wally in front of them.

Roy spun around running back wards as Sports master ran out of the room and Roy shot the ceiling above his head and it acted as a quick flash bang, but the man was barley affected and threw a knife Jason looked as it headed of Wally and moved in the way shooting the knife with good aim and making it break and redirect in other directions.

"Cowards!" Sportsmaster yelled, They three ran to the stairs and started down them as fast as they could. they tried to run faster as they heard the door at the top slab open and Sports master laughed and threw a hand full of Javelins down the stairs, they blew half way down threw the air.

"Faster!" Jason gasped as they stair way started to break apart and crumble with each explosion. Wally started to growl and gasp and Jason new he was struggling to keep from using his powers he probably never ran without them. But right now he couldn't or good by Wally west...again.

Jason growled and leapt at the two as one of the walls broke open enough for them to jump out. Jason, Wally and Roy landed on one car in unison even though it was a good landing their joints still took most of the tension and weight, The three started to run down the street and Jason stopped turning around and pulling out a explosive similar to a batarag and threw it at the hole in the building where Sportsmaster was jumping out. The explosion that followed made the man unbalanced and Sports master landed on the road. Jason got up and ran after Roy and Wally who were already down the street and jumped on the roof of a truck riding it, Roy shot him a lead a Jason jumped off a car roof to catch it and swung around landing on the top behind the two.

"In coming!" Roy yelled pointing up and Jason cured under his breath and reached into the duffle bag at his side and pulled out his gun as three man bats, obviously sent by Talia dropped down on them. Roy Shot a shock arrow and Jason hit another with a flare gun, it hit the other one and two of them crashed into a near by building while the other one Roy electrocuted with enough power to fry a elephant fell over them, The three had not choice but to hit the road and they rolled painfully, Roy rolled and had to jumped to him feet and flip over a car that would have hit him.

Jason was lucky enough to hit close to the side walk but he growled as Wally landed in the middle of the road with a semi headed for him, Quickly He ran forward and grabbed Wally and grappled to the closest roof.

They hit the roof almost harder than they had the road making the two gasp for air. Jason flipped on his side as a loud screech came from above and another Man bat came out at the two. He pulled out his Ak-47 and held it with both hands shooting the beast square in the chest multiple times before it cried out. Roy seemed to come out of no where and landed on the creature's back, in sink Jason threw Roy a blade and Roy raised his arms and stabbed the creature in the head before jumping off and flipping onto the roof beside them.

Two stared with narrowed eyes as the man bat cried out and fell from the sky. Jason fell onto his back and ran a hand threw his hair sighing, his face contorted when he saw that blood ran from the side of his head and it was only then he realized he hand hit his head and the others had wounds as well.

Roy raised his hand as he collapsed beside him, "We do good Jay-bird." Jason chuckled and gave him a weak high five, "Yeah."

"Jay-bird?" Wally frowned, then his eyes got wide, "Jay, Jay, Jason, Robin, or then old-,"

"Robin, not anymore as you can see." Jason said.

"Oh I can see." Wally said his eyes wide, "Shit, this, what happened to you!"

"The Jok- never mind." Jason sighed, "It`s a long story, one you don't need to hear."

XXXXXX

"Jason?" Wally asked looking out the window of the plane. Jason looked up taking the ice pack off of his head. "Yeah?"

"Thanks," Wally said, looking over to Roy who was sewing a wound in his own shoulder getting blood on the plane`s seats. "Both of you, I would of been dead if you guys hadn't been there to help me."

"You wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for us." Roy chuckled.

"I still would have froze in the artic or worse Freeze would have gotten out and eventually turned me in." Wally pointed out. "So where are we going?"

Roy finished the stitch and put a white patch to him wound, "Were headed to Happy harbor."

"Why, It`s...gone." Wally said.

"IT`s also the closest zeta beam we`ve got." Jason said. "IT`s just out side of the town. Once we land there should be a car waiting for us and at most a thirty minute drive." Jason said.

Jason took a deep breath as the plane touched the ground and Roy patted Wally on the back as they stood up. "Ready to go home Wally?"

"You have no idea." Wally smiled and his eyes seemed lost in thought, Jason tossed Roy his mask and put on his own eye mask, it was easier to hide then his red hood.

Jason took a deep breath this would be easy they would send wally into the Zeta beam, without them, they would only be counted as a threat in the watch tower and the team would only be a nuisance in his and Roy`s lives. He was happy to be ride of Wally but first things first, "Hey Wally," Jason said grabbing his shoulder and spinning the red head around to face him, Wally blinked in question and Jason stared the red head straight in the eyes, "IF you tell anyone about this I will run you over, no hesitation."

"Got it." Wally smirked, "Now lets go, I have a curtain blond in green I need to see."

"Oliver." Roy asked smiling in amusement.

"Shut up." Wally growled pushing him threw the closed door. Jason stepped down into the pavement only to see Talia, Deathstroke and Sportsmaster standing a few yards away It was only a second before two man bats landed behind the group of assassins.

Talia smiled, "I think you might want to reconsider weather you`d want to die for this man, again if I might add."

Jason looked at Roy who nodded his approval and smiled darkly at Talia and pulled out two sword, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

**A/N: Wow long chapter. Surprised I put wally back in? How could I leave him out :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: ...I just realized I posted the wrong chapter. and I started a new chapter on the old page of chapter 12 so now I have to write chapter 12...over. (hits head against wall softly) sorry t those who saw chapter two and were like, What's going on!? here is the real chapter! YAY!**

"We still don't know why Talia al ghul placed this bounty over their heads." Aqualad said to the team and a few of the Justice league, "But if we don't find them soon, they`ll be dead, every mad man, lunatic and phyco is looking for these two, and so are we."

Batman came over to Tim would paired with Dick to search Gotham, "Tim."

The teen turned around and blinked in question.

"What ever you know about Jason and Roy, tell us now. you know not to underestimate what Talia will do." Batman said, Tim bit his lip and cursed himself inside his head, Jason and Roy would understand, "Okay, I`ll tell you."

**XXX**

Jason jumped over Slade to stand back to back with Wally who wasn't doing to bad fighting off Sportsmaster with the sword Jason had gave him. "Stay by me!" Jason ordered again, Wally only nodded and Jason got pulled into a head but by Deathstroke because he wasn't paying attention. Jason gasped, not having his helmet meant less protection for head attacks.

Jason held the blade tightly and elbowed Slade in the face and then brought his sword down the man`s front before grabbing Wally and Jumping into the air to dodge a charging man bat. they landed smoothly back on their feet and Jason pulled out his gun with his other hand and shot at Slade who ran at him. Slade kicked the gun out of his hand and Jason jabbed the blade at him but Slade ducked and Jason smirked wrapping his leg around Slades and pulling to make the man fall.

IT was good timing because he reach behind him and grabbed wally around the waist and spun they both around, Wally uppercut Slade who jumped to his feet and Talia who was already air born punched Jason in the face. Jason grabbed her arm with his free hand and brought her close his chest holding the blade roughly to her throat and he spun himself and Wally back around again and shoved Talia at Slade.

Death stroke jumped over the woman and Jason held Slade back but he didn't see the smaller knife in the man`s hand and half of the blade disappeared in his chest, Jason yelled in pain but he forced Slade back enough so he could shoved his own sword into Slades shoulder he pushed Slade down and onto the pavement. He sat on Slades waist and punched in in the face multiple until his hands stopped trying to hit him back, "Now you be Daddy`s good little assassin and die." Jason growled he got up and spun around and gasped as he was taken off his feet by a man bat and thrown into the side of the parked plane.

Jason fell down next to the duffle bag and he pulled out he AK-47 and shot at the Man bat and it landed on him, Jason gasped and pushed the beast`s giant head away and climbed out from under it.

Talia leaped down beside him and kicked him to his knees and managed to twist behind him and grab his head, "Good by Jason Todd."

"Fuck you!" Jason growled and stood up hitting her jaw with the top of his head and spun around and locked her in a chock hold, "You know I though you were someone I could trust, but turns out you just another. Crazy. Gotham. Bitch."

Talia growled in anger and pulled away spinning around and Jason smiled at her before he punched her in her face cracking her nose and he smiled as she fell to the ground. JAson spat out blood by her body and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before he looked up to see Roy in need of some assistance.

He pulled out his two berretta's and shot at Sports master who stood over Roy who kicked the man away. Ran over Roy and helped him up, his friend gasped as he tried to move his other arm, "I think it`s broken. God I sucks to be me."

Jason chuckled and opened his mouth but ended up crying out in pain as one of his own swords cut threw his side ad out his front, "RED!" Roy yelled and raised his arm shooting Slade who was still behind Jason. As Slade was pushed back by the laser so was the sword and Wally ran over to them, one eye swollen shut and his nose severely bleeding. "We have to go!" They three supporting each other ran to the Car, Jason blindly shot out behind him and Roy Reached into Jason pocket and pulled out a few ninja stars having better aim then, Jason even with his broken arm.

"Ow." Jason gasped holding his hand to his side and looking at his hand as blood leaked on his fingers, it wasn't to deep but it was enough to make him bleed out if left untreated for to long. God where was Leslie or Alfred when he needed them. Jason pointed the gun once more and his vision un-blurred enough to see what he was shooting and he hit the gas tank of the small plane and it blew. The three assassin's running after them hit the floor for safety, and but the three vigilantes were to late and were thrown against the car they were headed for by the blast.

Wally, Being the less hurt out of all of them, pulled them into the car and with that they drove off leaving the run way a charred waist. Every bump and nudge the car hit was another wave of shock threw his torso, but he was stubborn and passing out wasn't an option. Wally was still in danger until they got to the Zeta beam.

"Hold on guys." Wally said his foot on the gas all the way, Roy laughed, "Look who`s saving who."

"Debt repaid." Jason smiled. Wally shook his head, "Don't talk like that."

"We live, just to talk about death, it`s who we are." Roy smiled swallowing the lump in his throat. Wally shook his head at the immaturity of the two and he glanced behind him at Roy again, "How`s the arm?"

"Broken, how`s your face." Roy asked, "don't ask stupid questions."

"Sorry." Wally said hanging onto the 'e' in the word before he looked at the road them Jason, he open and closed his mouth as if he wanted to say something and Jason blinked, "Just ask."

"were here." Wally said.

"That`s not a question." Jason said, he said, he knew he sounded stupid but right now he needed to talk just to stay awake. He had to stay awake. Suddenly Wally was pulling him out of the car and they were headed to a small shack in the woods. Jason`s face contorted as he felt blood drain down his leg and chest. They three stumbled to the machine and Roy held his mechanical arm to it and started to do his thing, hack.

"Access denied."

"Come on I know you want me." Roy snickered despite his pain.

"Access granted."

After that Jason remembered little, only flashes of people, pain and a bright white light of the infirmary.

XXXXX


	13. Chapter 13

Everyone sat, stood, silently in another room as the control room floor was being cleaned and the three men were hushed to the JLA`s infirmary with Batman in tow. Conner kept trying to block out the sounds of beeping heart monitors, dripping blood, and doctor`s yelling orders to one another.

That was three hours ago and, for three hours everyone had waited for Batman`s return, Tim saw the look of confusion on some of his team`s faces when Batman had gone with them but probably assumed the fact being he was getting information on their injuries. Dick put a hand on Tim`s shoulder and it wasn't until then he realized his hands were shacking with fear, not for himself of course, for Jason, for Roy, for the known man that they had brought with them.

No one had seen his face, he had been laying on his stomach on the floor with Jason and Roy and Conner and Megan were to shocked by the sight to get a good glimpse when they put the men on three gurneys.

Cassie walked over to him as Dick walked away, "What`s wrong Tim."

"Nothing." Tim said forcing his voice to show some type of strength.

"IT`s not nothing," Cassie said, "I know something's wrong Tim I`m not stupid."

"I know Your not, It`s just, I don't know." Tim finally sighed, he couldn't force the words out that the red hood, thought to be a murdering, thieving, lunatic vigilante was his brother, and not only that, he had lied about it to his team and Batman, while he was in good terms with Jason no one else knew he was alive. Cassie opened her mouth to speak but thought better of it when the doors to the room opened and Batman walked in hands behind his back, never a good sign.

he motioned for Artemis and he whispered something to her and she frowned before running off to the medical bay.

Tim jumped off the counter and walked over to Batman but a spar word was impossible as everyone else did the same to see what was going on. Batman took a deep breath, "They`ll be fine, but both Arsenal and Red Hood are in critical condition at the moment."

"What about the other guy?" Conner asked raising an eyebrow.

"He will be out in a matter of days, but first, You have o know something, that man, the third one was the reason those two were getting killed, so if any of you try anything to arrest either one that you wont be eating solid food for a week." Batman growled, everyone swallowed what was in their throats as Batman continued, "That man in there with them is...Wally West."

"No joke?" Blue beetle said smirking at the impossible.

"Wally`s..." Bumblebee said not finishing.

"He`s not dead." Batman said. "Nor is this one a clone, or anything else other then Wally West, Martian Man hunter checked."

"And Arsenal?" Megan asked. She shook her head she and Conner were the first to find the three, hurt broken, but alive.

"He`ll be fine, as will his partner, but right now there heavily sedated and unconscious and wont be awake for a while, Wally will be out in a few hours after he`s treated for his nose and cracked ribs but no one is to enter or go near that room ever." Everyone nodded and said their acknowledgements but as they did Batman made eye contact with Tim who caught it and blinked back in response, Bruce was lying, what about he didn't know all he did know was the batman had just given him permission to do what he did best, disappear.

XXXX

Jason sighed a looking at his torn shirt and shook his head, "Cant keep anything can I."

"Not surprising." Tim said as he pushed the curtains open, "Your doing good."

"I should be, I`ve been here all night." Jason said with a slight bit of venom at the statement. Tim sat on the edge of the bed, "Yeah it took a while for everyone to get back, plus we were waiting for some type of information, Megan was...describing you to the team."

"Did she mention my chiseled good looks?" Jason chuckled, Tim laughed, "No, just that you were really hurt."

"Worried?" Jason looking at the bandages that were wrapped around his waist and a patch. Tim frowned, "Of course I was, your my brother."

"You shouldn't be worried." Jason said, discarding the torn shirt to the side. The room became quiet for a moment and Jason looked around and again noted the fact the camera was covered, if Tim hadn't been here who had covered it, not Dick and certainly not Batman, maybe Barbara, but she hadn't been anywhere near him since he got here so it was impossible to ask. The door opened and Jason shifted on the bed being the only thing he could do as one of his hand was cuffed to the bed railing, he probably could have done anything even with one free hand but he didn't need to, this was the JLA no one was going to kill him here. IT didn't make him feel any better though.

Especially since someone discarded his torn eye mask so the doctors could check his black eye.

The girl who walked in was tall, nimble and wore the suit of Tigress so this was Wally`s girlfriend, or was it his wife. he didn't care. The girl walked over to the side of his bed and lend down and kissed him on the cheek. Jason raised an eye brow and Tim smirked, "Thank you Jason." she said.

"guy cant keep a secret to save his life." Jason sighed, Artemis smiled, "He had no choice, with the combined drugs and m persuasive technique he was helpless."

Jason chuckled his blue eyes curious as she walked out the room, after she left it became quiet again and Jason looked at Tim, "How`s Roy, is he going to lose another arm?"

"No, he just finished getting it casted like an hour ago, Jason can I ask you something?" Tim said hesitating a bit. Jason nodded and Tim blinked, "where`d you get those?" Jason looked at his own chest at his all-caste tattoos. good times. he looked up his eyes on Tim, "Maybe some other time."

Tim nodded a bit disappointed but he didn't say anything. IT wasn't that he didn't trust Tim, it was the fact that he actually had secrets that he wanted for himself, was that to much to ask in his own life? Did he have to share everything with an Archer? A kid hero? or anyone else who came into his life? Jason sighed and he remembered the hand cuff, he smiled sure, like that would hold him. Jason pulled the IV needle from his arm and started to pick lock the cuffs and Tim opened his mouth to say something but closed his mouth knowing it was useless.

Jason kicked his legs over the side of the bed and winched, but he moved past it and stood up, Tim tossed him a shirt, obviously Dick`s seeing how it read Gotham state but it covered his chest and he was happy. The two walked out of the room and Tim held Jason Back, "Your not supposed to be out of that room, hence the cuffs so be quite."

"Don't try and teach me kid." Jason growled walking past him and Tim pulled him back, "This way."

Jason growled, he followed Tim to another room and the door opened and Roy and Wally and Artemis looked over at him and Tim as they walked in and Tim closed the door like no one was ever there. Jason snickered as he walked over to Roy who lifted his casted arm, "So you haven't lost your other arm, yet."

"You know it." Roy said jumping off his bed. They fist bumped with amusement and Jason gestured to the door, "Ready?"

"You know it." Roy sighed in relief, "I have to get out. it smells like febreze in here. it`s intoxicating."

"Okay then." Wally laughed. The door slid open and everyone turned around to see Red Arrow, Batman and Green arrow walk into the room. "Your not leaving." Bruce said calmly. No one said a word but Jason could feel the tension rising like water I a sinking ship.

"Talia still has a bounty on your head, so until me and Nightwing can find a way to hack and erase the information then you`ll be safe to leave so all three of you are staying."

"Are you going to make us?" Jason asked challenging the three, Red arrow smirked, "Please, I don't fight baby birds."

Jason`s eyes snapped to Batman who glared at Green arrow who held the Batman`s glare, "he and the rest of the team has a right to know."

"It`s not your place to have that say!" Jason and Bruce growled in unison. Arsenal took a step forward, "this is a free county and we`ll do what we want with our rights, so get out of our way before we make you." Red Arrow pushed past Green arrow to stand in front of Arsenal.

"With pleasure." The two held each others stare for a moment longer before they started to punch and kick each other. Red arrow brought ray to the ground but Arsenal got top and straddled the clones back grabbing the clones red hair and smashing his face into the floor. Artemis and Green arrow pulled Roy off of his clone who touched his bleeding nose, "Ass hole!"

"Bitch!" Arsenal called back, The two let Arsenal go and Jason chuckled at Batman, "IF this your best defense then I feel sorry for you. and Roy`s Right, were grown up enough to take care of our self."

Batman blinked, "Maybe but you and Roy are not at any condition to fight, Talia knows your base location and a number of villain probably do not to, the safest place you can be till this blows over is here." Batman pulled his red hood from behind his back and threw it to Jason who caught in one hand and didn't bother to take his eyes off of his old mentor.

"You`ll both be talking and training with Black canary and Donna Troy so we can see the progress of your wound and the type of physical damage they`ll do, weather you like it or not your stuck here till me and Nightwing take down the bounty." Batman said. Jason shared a look with Roy before he looked up his blue eyes dark and dangerous, "Clearly."

XXX

Jason tighten his helmet on his head, he stood in what was his own bathroom, connected to a spare room in the tower. Roy and Wally right next door. Jason sighed and tightened it more before looking in the mirror. He looked at his reflection and swore he could see everything he was before, the kid who took care of his parents better then they did of him, the beaten punk that a Doctor took pity on, Jason Todd Bruce Wayne's second ward his second son, Robin, a crazed boy out of the Lazarus pit, a All-caste assassin, and now, Red hood.

right now he was alone, physically. the room was empty. And yet he couldn't help feel that someone was always watching him with wide eyes. Jason grabbed the side of the sink, maybe it was the fact he was colliding with his past just like he tried not to do, was it the fact that he needed Bruce`s help weather he liked it or not, or was it the fact he felt enclosed in this room?

Jason walked out and took another deep breath, he didn't have his guns witch made him feel all the more wary of the situation but he had to cooperate...for now. There was a knock on the door and Jason cursed if this was Tim, or Bruce or even Dick he was going to snap someone`s neck, the last thing he needed was a family talk. Witch is why he was both happy and annoyed when Roy showed up at the door, "therapy time." He growled.

"And I should go why?" Jason asked coldly. Wally popped up behind Roy, "Because were both going and you need to set a good example before the team starts seeing you as a threat."

"Not that we care what they think." Roy pointed out, "But I think this would be a good opportunity to find our stuff."

Jason rolled his eyes and the three walked along the corridor, Jason fell back a little not paying attention as he took in the sights around him. This wasn't part of anything he had ever really seen so he was more then fine looking around. He was so focused on his thoughts and surroundings he barley noticed three teens walking past, one wearing the old KF uninform, another a skinny green kid who he remembered to be Garfield and blue beetle. Things never changed.

He coughed they eyes and Gar waved, Bruce had informed him that no one except Wally, Oliver, Artemis, Dick, Tim and the two Roy`s knew about his identity, so he was safe right? Jason didn't wave back as he passed, he made sharp eye contact with each one making the kids walk faster.

Jason caught up with Roy and Wally as they sat down in the halls and Jason leaned in his chair folding his arms over his chest, "Do we really have to wait?"

"No, but it would be polite." Black canary said walking out of the room next door, "Roy why don't we start with you."

"yes mama." Roy sighed in annoyance as he got up and walked into the room, as he passed black canary who was leaning on the door fame she smacked him on the back of the head lightly but enough to hear the sound. Wally sat still beside him tapping his foot quickly in a patter and Jason closed is eye. It was only a moment before Wally elbowed him and he sat up in alarm, he didn't say anything though as Artemis and another girl walked over to them, Artemis pulled Wally from the chair and to her side, "Training time."

"I thought we had to do therapy?" Wally said gesturing to the door, the other woman shrugged, "Black canary will understand." Wally and Artemis walked off and Jason was still seated looking at the woman curiously, he knew her but he didn't want to be polite, not that it was in his nature to be but he didn't want to give anything away. this, the girl in front of him was none other than Donna Troy. it was easy to tell, one because her costume hadn't changed a bit, she just filled it out more. Her black hair was longer and of course her bright blue eye were what really said her name.

"Are you going to get up or not." Donna said irritated. She hadn't lost her tough either. Jason stood up, "Lead on." He growled with venom in his voice it wasn't hard to do seeing as how he didn't need any training what so ever, it wasn't her manner of the situation. Donna turned her head to look at him as they walked, right now he was glad for the mask. "Listen, I don't know you and you don't know me-" WRONG!- "But you going to be here for a while, and saying that," She spun around in front of him making him stop in his track, she placed a finger under his helmet, "don't you dare hurt anyone, you take what ever shit you have against them and you taking out on me because that's why I`m here, I can put you on the ground so fast you`ll think you of died."

"Fine by me." Jason said casually pushing her hand away with his own, "and I`m sure I can take you. I`ve done it before." he whispered the last part to himself glancing over at what was once his friend.

XXXXX

"An that's why I don't like cake better than Ice cream." Roy said, "that day just went to hell."

Black canary sighed and lifted her head off of her hand, "Roy, all you`ve told me was a drawn out story of when you went to Kid Flashes birthday party for the last hour and a half, how about this." She said Roy growled great she was going to offer something to him for an actual story. her eyes on him were hard and read able but Roy wasn't breaking.

"Tell me something, the worst thing that's happened to you with you time with Oliver and I swear, you can leave the room right after." Black canary said. Roy folded his arms over his chest, "That's not much of a bargain if I have to keep coming back every day."

"So, taking will only help pass the time-"

"Plus it`ll make me feel all better." Roy finished of his eyes dark as he glared at her, Black canary smiled raising her hands in mock defense, "Your words not mine." she said, Roy rolled his eye, then a slight smile crept on his face, and he leaned forward, he was going to tell her the worst day of his life as speedy, and she would be so horrified that he might never need to come back and he could spend the rest of his few days here searching for his , Red`s and new stuff! Perfect.

"Fine," he said darkly, "It all started on..."

_Roy bit his lip and shot the arrow at the flying robot drone, "There`s to many!" he yelled to Oliver who stood by huntress who fought side by side. Green arrow didn't even look at him, "Just keep shooting!" _

_"Just keep shooting," Roy muttered, and he didn't, right now Queen tower was being attacked by drones of an unknown source, probably looking for some easy money. even thought these thing couldn't shot worth a damn, he was wasting arrows on their hard exterior. _

_"GREEN!" Roy gasped for hand as a bot crashed into him and he was separated from his bow and arrows and slid closer to the edge of the roof of the sky scraper. _

_Roy kicked out at a bot who kept pushing on him, Oliver looked in his direction but turned away to help Huntress who was surrounded. Roy narrowed his eyes and suddenly the bot crashed into him and he was flung off of Queen tower. he reached out for the edge but he was already falling. _

_there was not cry for help, no scream, not a sound, because if he was going to die like this, he wouldn't go out crying for help. _

"And that's when I realized I was less important than Oliver`s girls." Roy growled standing up, Black canary stood up to as Roy started out the door, "Roy!"

The glass door slammed shut and Roy was gone. Black Canary pinched the bridge of her nose and slouched down in her chair this was going to be a long day.

XXXX

"You fight like a girl!" Jason growled pulling Donna over his head and onto the mats. Donna only glared up at him with bright blue eyes as she flew up grabbing the front of his shirt lightly, probably watching out for his wound. but the way she gripped the shirt made him knew she wanted to take off his head.

She brought him higher till they both could touch the ceiling and she smirked, "Who`s the girl now?"

"I`m not finished." Jason smirked behind his mask and he whipped her ands away and kicked her in the abdomen flipping back and hitting the ground on his feet with a heavy thud. The moment he stood straight pain erupted in his side. He had to be more careful if he ever wanted to leave here.

Jason walked over t the bench and sat down before lifting one side of his shirt up to look at his bandages. he excepted to see the white fabric seeping with blood from the open wound but it wasnt, it just hurt like hell.

"Are you alright?" Donna asked more out of curiosity then concern.

"I`m fine." Jason stated coldly putting his shirt down and standing up. Donna put her hands on her hips, "Secrets and bad for the health." she looked him up an down, "Obviously."

"Who asked you?" He spat coldly, Jason walked away in the opposite direction, "were dont here Princess." he growled walking out the door. Donna folded her arms over her chest and stared where the man had disappeared.

Something was wrong here, more then Batman vouching for two criminals and something in the back of her head kept nagging her, literally, she was going to figure out what was wrong here, she wasnt just going to sit back and not care. Something was wrong.

XXXXX

This was stupid, this was childish, this was none other than one of Dick Grayson`s screams. Jason narrowed his eyes at the suit sitting on his bed, he thought it would be fine to take a quick shower. but apparently not, Nightwing had obviously snuck in and taken what was his only par of jeans and the Gotham state shirt and left him what looked like a full body suit, not much different then Nightwing`s own suit only this one was a light grey and held a bright red bat symbol on the front.

IT would have to do. He wasnt going to chase Nightwing down for his other clothes in just a towel, that was a little to far...even for him.

It was just something he`d have to deal with later, maybe get a better lock for the door. Right now, Wally him and Roy were eating in the cafeteria, and he was starving so Nightwing could wait.

Jason walked out putting on his signature light brown Jacket, he was wearing his eye mask at the moment, Wally having pointed out he couldn't eat with the red helmet. Fuck that.

The cafeteria wasnt hard to find seeing how many people were here, He quickly saw Wally and Roy in the back. Wally shoving his face and Roy leaning back in his seat feet on the table, and talking to his Clone who was standing beside him a not so happy look on his face.

And just when he thought everything would be happy, rainbow kittens. Jason ignored some of the stairs and sudden whispers as he passed to get to the table.

"...you ass hat." Red arrow growled suddenly was all he heard when he got close enough. Roy put his feet down and stood up. "Do it, I dare you!"

Red Arrow narrowed his eyes and smiled, "Green arrow isnt here to save you little boy, and your only 'team' wouldn't even dare!"

Jason moved between the two and shoved both of them apart Arsenal hit the edge of the table and Red Arrow almost staggered into Green Lantern who was walking past.

"Quit starting shit!" Arsenal yelled at Red Arrow who glared hate fully at them, "Or you`ll wish you`ve left me on ice."

"I already do!" Red Arrow, the two were yelling pretty loud and some people turned in their seat some where somebody yelled, "kick his ass."

Red Arrow walked over to them, "You want to settle this some where else."

Jason narrowed his eyes, "How about outside where you wont be able to breath, beat it Archer." Roy and Jason turned back around to sit down at the table but...

"I wasnt talking to you." Red arrow growled. Arsenal spun around and punched out but Wally was by him in a flash catching the punch, "please dont make things worse for yourselves."

"He right." Jason said, "Let this ass hole go."

Arsenal put his arm down and gave Red arrow a finial glare before sitting down. Red Arrow walked away seeming to be happy with the now calmer situation than he preferred to say.

Jason leaned forward taking Roy`s sandwich, but Roy didnt seem to care as he was till steaming, "Batman wasnt kidding when he said we`d be seeing a lot of each other."

"when does Batman ever kid?" Wally smiled biting into his own food. Jason chuckled and ate the food in moments , he was starving and couldnt remember the last time he had a good meal.

"Seeing your faces everywhere will give me nightmares." Jason said. Roy rolled his eyes in amusement, "Your not exactly a sight for sore eyes."

Roy snickered and Jason leaned over slapping him on the back of his head with a muffled thud.

"That didnt hurt." Roy mocked and Jason raised and eye brow, "Want it to?"

Roy only laughed louder as he leaned back in his chair. The table was silent as they sat there, all three knew if they weren't here they would have to be training or therapy and none of that was wanted. Jason ran a hand threw his raven hair and looked up when he saw some people pass the table.

Superboy, Nightwing and M`gann were leaving the cafeteria, Jason narrowed his eyes when he saw M`gann look with only her eyes at him then looked away quickly. she was trying not to look at him...why?

What did Miss Martian know, better yet how could she?


	14. Chapter 14

_Jason swung his legs over the side of his bed and rubbed the side of his face, why he had woken up suddenly was a mystery, he hadn't been dreaming so that was a big plus but his side was hurting and he had a splitting migraine. Jason opened the door to his room and walked out into the restroom and looked at his refection and checking the wounds against his bare torso. _

_He turned on the water and leaned down splashing some on his face, he barley felt it against his face and he sighed a long tired sigh and finally looked up to see Joker in the mirror laughing hysterically. _

_"NO!" Jason yelled this was another dream! Joker`s arms lunged at him threw the mirror and grabbed him by the neck. _

_"Get away from me." He yelled, Jason staggered back and onto the floor falling down and onto a mat. instead of Joker being on top of him, stronger hands wrapped around his neck. _

_"your pathetic, redo." Batman growled pulling Jason close to his face and then slamming him into the ground. Jason gasped and yelled, wake up! _

_"JASON!" _

_Suddenly he was in what used to be the teams cave sitting on the couch breathing heavily. what was happening? His dream had started out...somewhat like always and now, it was going crazy as If he was on Scarecrows toxic. Suddenly M`gann appeared in front of him and he jumped over the couch putting his hands up. _

_"Jason, it`s okay, it`s a dream your dreaming!" she said showing her hands as if saying she wasn't armed. _

_"What are you doing to me?!" He snapped. M`gann frowned, "I`ll explain in a minuet but Jason you have to wake up!" _

Jason gasped sitting up in his bed and grabbing his head, the migraine wasn't part of the dream. God why did that have to be real.

"Jason?" M`gann said stepping out of the shadows, Jason shifted on the bed glaring at her. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"No, I`m not! What did you do to me!?" He asked again M`gann looked to the door and pressed a finger to her lips, "Jason know one knows I`m here and if you wish the team to find out your you them you`ll calm down."

"Oh trust me." Jason growled jumping off the bed and shoving her against the wall force fully "This is as calm as your going to see me."

"O-okay, Jason, I was walking by the room and I heard you talking in your sleep, I though I could help calm you down but your dream started to react to my powers and change, you were trying to shove me out of your head." She explained.

"You saw this as an opportunity to find out who I was don't lie to me." He snapped. M`gann shook her head her eyes trying to be calm, "No, I knew it was you before."

"How." he snapped, "Nightwing, Robin, Red Arrow?"

"when we communicated threw my powers, no one knows I get sent feelings as well as thoughts and you were always so difficult to hear threw your anger and other feelings, when I was at the cafeteria I was going to stop you and Roy from attacking Red arrow and I got enough vibe from you to know it could only be you." she said at last. Jason narrowed his eyes, and took a few steps back and M`gann rubbed her arm uncomfortably.

"Stay out of my head." Jason growled sitting on the bed again.

"I wont, Jason, I`m sorry, Batman never told us how Joker... he just said it was him. I`m sorry." She said her eyes watering. She had seen his death, how long, how far had she gone into his head?

"It`s been done, It`s over, leave it be." Jason growled running a hand threw his head, M`gann nodded and wiped her eyes. "I- I`ll leave." she said and she was gone like that. Jason sighed and held his head in his hands. he would never be able to sleep now.

XXXXX

"So, Red hood, tell me anything, I`m all ears." Black canary said looking at him intently. Jason lend back in the chair resting his head on his hand tiredly, his sleep was...disturbed.

"Nothing to say." he muttered. Except the fact he felt violated, he own thoughts seem like a blur to him, it was insane to feel this way after someone was in his head but he did and it scared him to think what else M`gann saw. His death was the first thing she saw because that's what he was dreaming about, but she said he was shoving her out of his mind, what had she seen, done, just to get to him?

His mind was forced open by a Martian and people wondered why he didn't like to talk.

"Tired?" Black canary asked tilting her head. Jason yawned behind the mask, "You could say that." he said.

"Bad dream or just a restless night?" she pressed. Jason blinked, "why so interested?"

"I want to know more about you Red hood, lets start with your child hood, rich, poor?" Black canary asked. Jason smirked she knew nothing, she had nothing to work with, thank god, "I was a middle class kid," he lied, "Enough money to get by but not enough for private school you get me?"

"Of course."

"I lived in Gotham and that's it." Jason said. Black canary frowned, "I don't see the problem."

"Have you been to Gotham, crazy people pop up like mushrooms." Jason replied calmly.

"So your crazy?"

"I wouldn't say that, just not as high on the mental health as I should be." he said, he was giving her to much tone it down Todd!

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" she smiled politely. Jason shrugged and she nodded her thanks.

"What`s your connection to the bat family? About a few months ago you might have well declared war on them, kidnapped Joker and blew up a building, how you escape alive is still a question." She said. Jason immediately tensed. she thought she was so clever.

"Being a little nosy arnt we?" He growled threw clenched teeth. she frowned, "I like to know the people I have to work with Red hood and from the things I`ve found out I should drag you straight to Arkham." she said. It was another tactic, she was trying to get him angry, find a response from him. it wouldn't work, he lived and trained with Batman the worlds greatest detective.

"Your a crime lord even now, you murder and kill, why? Because it`s fun, because you and Roy are angry you were the little guys right, wanting to put your mark on the world, well you know what, you did and you did it in the most horrifying way possible that if I found you broken and bleeding I would have killed you right then and there just so the world wouldn't have to suffer in you rage."

"Bravo, I love your performance." Jason smiled. "But I`m not talking and you cant make me say a word."

Jason got up and walked out closing the door silently behind him, it was only a moment after he left that Batman entered glaring, "What was that?"

Black canary stood up, "the way I work, what do you except? You give me absolutely nothing on this guy and you except me to know everything the second he leaves."

"You cant do that with him he knows what you were trying to do." Batman said looking at the door. Black canary put her hands on her hips, "I`ve got a question for you Batman. if you believe he`s so dangerous, why isn't he in Arkham and better yet why does your son still hag out with him?"

XXXX

Jason and Dick sat by the computer, it was odd but it was better then having to relive the past by training with Donna. Even if a teenagers voice was in his ear for the day. Right now him and Nightwing were over looking a small mission, something that barley skimmed the radar and only five people on the team were there, that didn't include Miss M, so he and Dick were the ones keeping tabs, on where the team was going. After Robin had down loaded a sonar system into his glove it transmitted a signal to here that told them where the bad guys would be when the team needed to know.

right now they were only testing the tech and a riot at Bell rev was perfect to know who was in and out of their cage. the team of Five were Robin, Beast boy, Blue beetle, bumble bee and Batgirl. so far the tech worked well enough. but it kept glitching every now and then, radio interference there was stopping the transmission here so they couldn't warn the team if someone was around the corner, but that was just a few times.

Jason watched the screen his eyes scanning it every few seconds, "Robin, down the hall to the left, three men, not armed, they have four hostages in one room. I`m getting a lot of interference from that room so once your in we might lose a signal till your out."

"Got it." Tim said in the com in Jason ear. Dick frowned, "I might be able to boast the signal and get a small reading."

"Copy that," Batgirl said, "I`m turning on second sonar in my suit so we can split down this hall."

"Roger that, Barbie." Jason said as another beckon from Barbara`s suit came on.

"Did you just call me Barbie?" She asked. Jason laughed, "Yeah, you going to kick my ass."

"One there are children present and two I`ll see you in the training hall when I get back Red riding hood." Batgirl reported back, Jason laughed, "Come on, that's all you got- Barbie you`ve got four men it that next hall to the right, smoke `em out and before you get to close."

"Thanks Red." Batgirl said.

"Am I back online?" Tim asked. Dick started typing on the keypad, "Yeah, actually I`m not getting any sort of interference from this side of the building now, what ever you did it`s helping."

"Great." Tim said.

"Whoa, Robin your got men moving up from a lower floor." Dick said.

"Hey!" Bumble bee yelled in her com and Jason winched as it rang in his ear, "Some one turned off these guys collars."

Jason sighed, "That`s probably what was giving off interference, someone needs to go back and turn them on before the whole place becomes a war zone."

"I`m on it!" Blue beetle volunteered. Jason instantly saw blue beetle`s marker leave Batgirl`s group and head down back that way they had come.

"Your clear Blue, but check the unconscious men in the room just to make sure." Dick said his eyes glued to the screen. Jason raised and eye brow at Dick and smirked, "we can lock this all down in a few seconds if you two girls head down to the power room and over ride the energy then this place will have the energy it needs to close down."

"So I go back to Robin?" Blue asked pausing, Dick frowned, "No."

"Do we go?" Bumble bee asked.

Dick shook his head to himself, "No, It`s to dangerous, the power room is right next to the court yard and I`m not taking any chances."

"I don't think that's your call any more Nightwing." Jason blinked, out of the mic then he spoke back to Barbara and bumble bee, "Go ahead, you guys are fine."

"No offense Red." Barbara said, "But you a career criminal, I don't even think I was a good idea to put you on the computer."

"I`m burned," he said sarcastically, "I don't care this isn't my team, your success or failure means nothing to me and I have nothing to gain if you don't succeed, but if you want to take unessisay risk and draw this battle out. by the way you`ve got three men in the room next door."

"There not taking any unnecessary risk by doing what I say they`ll be doing that if they do what you say." Dick growled.

"Shut up, both of you," Barbara said, "Nightwing me and Bumble bee are going down to the power room, we`ll be fine if we hurry, with the collars off they`ll head for the commotion Robin and the others are causing Batgirl out." she yelled in annoyance to them.

Jason pulled the off his mask and then took the com from his ear throwing it down and chuckling. Dick glared at him, "This isn't funny."

"Really? Because I think It`s hilarious, your not even their leader and yet your so balled into a knot you can see up your own ass." Jason laughed his voice echoing threw the empty room.

"Shut up, if anyone dies it`ll be your fault." Dick growled, "You were trying to up stage me in front of them, but the fact is they wont trust you because of what you do."

"And what I do is none of your business, if anyone your you boy scouts dies its on the Bat`s hands for putting me here next to you." Jason smiled his blue eye boring into Dick`s. someone in the com must have said something because Dick turned back to the screen, "Yeah, just go left and you`ll be were you need to be."

Jason smiled and quietly slipped away from Nightwing heading back to the room, as he walked out the door he passed Batman gave a small smirk before the two passed each other in separate directions.


	15. Chapter 15

"I have to ask you three something very important." Black canary said leaning forward and gazing intently at Wally, Roy and Jason as they sat in spate chairs, Jason slouched in his chair his arms resting on both of the arm rest, Wally sat back in his chair meeting the woman`s gaze with a slight innocent smile on his face because that was just him. Roy was sitting cross legged in is chair his left hand tabbing against his knee in impatience.

Black canary pulled a lose strand of blonde hair back behind her ear and then her hands came back on the arm rest of her own chair, her legs crossed and her own foot tapping slightly to the ticking of the clock behind the three men.

"I haven't gotten anything out of you, normal things at most, but you`ve gone threw pain and suffering more then most of the people here could see and you don't even want to talk about it, Wally you were trapped in the speed force alone for six months isn't there something you want to say about that? Roy you`ve had it rough, worse that all the...sidekicks in the next room, you shouldn't feel that there's something wrong with telling someone what going on in your head, and Red hood, your that guy. I get it, the guy who has no real idea where he stands between the things that take place, weather your for justice or not, it confesses even yourself so much you push it away." She said looking at each and every once of them.

With every one she said her thoughts on shoulders dropped and hands curled into fist, Because they knew this is where it got real, she had set a steak and now she was going to bring down the hammer, they knew because they had been here, there before. Not here literally but in the situation where someone was, and succeeding -much to everyone's dismay- breaking into what they just wanted to forget.

Jason closed his eyes for a moment, when he had thought, pictured every thing he was, who he was. he missed the fact that every single one of who he was had been here where he was now, from the young self dependent kid to Red hood. vigilante.

Roy dug his hand into his knee knowing full well he`d probably have bruises there the next day, he didn't care, he, like everyone else was waiting for what Black canary would say. he was waiting to see who would crack open like the forth of July. Roy narrowed his eyes, she was pausing! making them sit and soak in thought, this was torture, say something!

Wally bit the inside of his cheek, he hadn't really wanted to think about the speed force, only because he didn't want nor should he remember what went on there. All he knew was that he ran, a lot, more and faster then he ever had before and it hurt, hell he still had blisters on his feet, but what scared him was the real thought that a place like that was possible, he would be lying to himself if he said that the way the speed force made him faster wasn't scary or the fact everything was different, almost like fate`s tower, he could run on air and not fall, even if he did, there was no where to land and that`s what scared him. because in his head, he was still falling.

Black canary cleared her throat and the three shifted in their seat like she was about to scream at them, but she just looked at them her eyes serious, "So I have to ask, if you wont talk about your past, what do you except in your future?"

The room was an eerie silence before Roy broke it, "Um I guess I`d want to be doing what I`m doing now, being a hero, what else can I do," the archer let out a small laugh, "I`m not that great at biology or science, or politics for the matter but what I lack in smarts I make up in for in aim and that's what I`ll do and I`ll do it as long as I`m still breathing, plus I hope to own a really huge house and something similar to a secret lair. maybe a jet to." Roy chuckled rubbing the back of his neck in thought , closing his eyes as if to picture what was, might happen.

A bigger grin seemed to spread on Wally`s face, "I want to marry Artemis, get back into my career at the crime lab studding murders, I could never ask Artemis leave this life, she`s great as a hero, and I`ll help with mission deployment and training requites and hopefully live to tell some types of stories to...younger generations."

Black canary smiled tilting her head a little, "I`m glad both of you have something figured, this has been a good session, Red hood?"

Jason blinked icy blue eyes, she couldn't see his face behind the hinny sleet of red metal that was his hood and he was thankful because she would have seen he had absolutely nothing to say. he had just stared ahead blankly. Jason quickly became aware of the other two staring at him questioningly and he couldn't take it, he got up quietly and left the door making an audible clink behind him.

Black canary sighed, she had gotten something out of him even if he didn't realize it, he looked to the other two who seemed as uncomfortable again as when they entered, "You can if you wish." she nodded gesturing to the door. She couldn't of said the words fast enough before the two boys left the room in a haze of dust.

XXXXXX

"Red, what was that?" Roy asked coming up beside him on his left while Wally was on his right his green eye full of concern.

"Nothing, I`ve got a lot on my mind." Jason sighed, he wasn't lying, because when Black canary had asked, said her words, they hit him deeply. for so long he had been on the past and for a while he had thought he had gotten over it that he was done with worrying about what was behind him, but he wasn't, not even close! he was still hiding because he couldn't look forward when his mind was stuck in his past. these dreams, the ones that woke him in the middle of the night in a cold sweat were what scared him to his core.

They were his past, and now he realized, right now, he had found the real problem, and it wouldn't couldn't go away till he dealt with his past.

"Damn." he sighed to himself, that was the last thing he wanted to do, but it was the first thing he had to do. god he was messed in the head. Jason was pulled back to reality when he heard yelling, form the next room that was the control room where the team usually hung out.

Wally walked a little bit ahead and pressed the button to open the door and the muffed shouts soon became very clear, Jason narrowed his eyes at Red arrow who was yelling at Nightwing and Robin half way threw his last sentence.

"...because the only reason where not sending those lunatic`s to Arkham right now is for one reason, it`s not because the saved Wally no, It`s because Batman cant stand the fact the his son is a murdering criminal and sending Jason Todd to that place would make Batman finally see his real failure!"

it was one of those moments where everyone just had to be in the room, it couldn't be just the people involved no, because that was to much to ask. Some one finally turned their head to the door and gasped. They knew they all knew.

Red arrow turned around and smirked, "Well, if it isn't Jason Todd, and Roy harper, criminal master minds and angry boy duo."

Jason took two steps forward, "you son of a bitch!" Red arrow walked over to him and ducked Jason`s head jab and quickly sent a punch at Jason`s side and jumped up twisting around and kicking him in the middle of his chest. Jason would have fought back much more than what he had but, Roy had got him in his stab won and right now he was seeing tiny stars in his vision. the kick sent Jason stumbling back and Wally was the one that caught him while Roy pointed his laser and shot. Red arrow jumped and the laser hit one of the computers blowing it up on impact.

"HEY!" Someone yelled. Jason pushed Wally off of him and started at Roy only to have once again some one hold him from behind, Jason tried to pushed who over it was away but they held onto him tightly. he was quickly brought to his knees and as was Roy, Red arrow was by the blow computer wiping his bleeding nose, someone had punched him. but it wasn't enough he was going to kill that shity clone!

Jason slipped under the person`s arm holding him down and he slid away and he really didn't have any guns so the next best thing would work, Jason pulled off his hood and threw it at Red arrow who was completely unprepared, it him straight against his face, not many things could crack his helmet for a reason so it was pretty tough, especially against someone`s face.

Red arrow stumbled and Jason ran at him and pulled his fist back and punched him in the jaw, hard. Someone grabbed his wrist and pulled him away Jason now realized it was Superboy and Jason and Roy were on one side of the room while seven of the team`s members where holding both of them back while they also held back the clone.

"I didn't risk my life to rescue a murdering psychopath!" Red arrow growled.

"The only psychopath I see here is you!" Roy hissed back trying to reach over Blue Beetle to get to Red arrow.

"You both belong in a mental facility!" the man snapped.

"You belong six feet under!" Jason spat.

_**"Enough!"** _

Everyone turned around to see Batman, Flash, and Green arrow at the large wide door, they looked like a parent would look like if they walked in and saw their child doing finger painting on the walls. Batman looked to his side at the other two mentors, "Deal with this." Batman looked back to them group, "I need to speak with you few."

He just mad brief eye contact with six people who knew that Batman meant them slowly they made their way over to the Dark knight, Dick being one of the people following shoved Jason`s red helmet into his hands as he passed. Jason rolled his eyes at the older boys attitude and the six- Aqualad, Nightwing, him, Arsenal, Wally and Tim walked out of the room.

They didn't have far to go to reach a higher floor and they walked into a larger room, They all stood in curtain parts of the room looking at the pictures of Red hood and Arsenal and the prize over their head. Batman gestured to the screen, "It`s over, the bounty has been removed and your free to leave the tower as you please."

Jason smirked folding his arms over his chest, "Great when do we leave?"

"Soon," Batman said looking over to him, "First, you getting that fixed."

Jason looked down to see a small splotch of blood on the grey suit, being a full body suit he couldn't see the full existent of the damage Red arrow had done to his stitches but just by looking at the blood he could tell it wasn't a big deal.

"What about our ammo, those desirer arrows are not cheap." Roy asked Jason`s head snapped up at the mere mention of his guns, Batman blinked and Jason could feel his own despair before the man spoke, "They were burned, we don't condone weapons here, your arm was the only thing well made a acceptation on."

Roy sighed in annoyance but Bruce nodded, "Aqualad, we need to talk about a different matter, come with me." Batman gave a finial look to Jason who returned it coldly, he`d confront his past later right now he was grieving for his guns. Tim headed over just as Roy left the room, his face serious and annoyed, "Jason Red arrow-,"

"I don't care." Jason said raising his hand for silence. Tim opened his mouth to speak but closed it with a sigh, "Why?"

"None of your business," He growled, Jason saw something change in the younger boy`s face that made him feel bad, why should he? God, he hated having to care what his little brother was thinking. "Kid." he added slowly ruffling Tim`s hair harmlessly. "I know you didn't do anything."

Tim smiled and Jason looked up to see Dick watching him from a distance, once Jason made eye contact the older boy walked over to him, "Jason you may not want to hear this but just because the bounty is gone that doesn't mean people will forget your important to both sides in some way, so keep an eye out."

"Your right," Jason said, "I don't want to hear that from you. I`ll see you guys later." He growled Jason walked out of the room but Grayson grabbed his wrist, "Jason, stop it, What have I done to make you hate me?"

"Your childish attitude and the fact your just like Batman." Jason growled pulling his arm away, Dick frowned sadly, "Jason you used to be my brother, just because things have changed it doesn't mean that had to."

Jason`s eye brows scrunched together in annoyance, "It`s a little to late to be having this talk don't you think?"

Jason walked away but he could still feel Dick`s eyes on him and Jason sighed losing his angry face and looking at the ground sadly.

_"Wake up, wake up, wake up!" Dick said jumping excitedly on Jason`s bed. "It`s Christmas!"_

_Jason laughed kicking Dick off his bed, "You act like a two year old Dick!" Dick stuck his tough out, "Got to know one to be one!" He teased, Jason threw a pillow at Dick but his brother slipped through the door. Jason jumped off the bed and grabbed the coat rack before sliding down the stair case and meeting Dick who had his own coat rack._

_"Interesting choice of weaponry." Dick smiled._

_"On guard Grayson!" Jason laughed. _

That was along time ago, Jason thought to himself, he growled, mentally shooting himself as he wipe his eyes and put his hood on heading to the infirmary to fix his wound again, then he was gone.

XXXXXX

Jason blinked up at the hologram, he had just passed the room, he might not have even seen it if he wasn't paying attention, it was him. Well it was the second Robin, but technically it was him. The plate at the base read : Jason Todd, second Robin, Friend, brother...son. He looked away as he heard foot steps heading his way. Donna came over to him and stood beside him and looked up at the hologram.

"He was a stubborn boy." She smiled still looking up.

"I thought you were supposed to honor the dead." Jason smirked looking at her curiously, she knew it was him...right.

She glanced at him, "But your not dead, are you."

He smiled taking off his helmet and resting it on the base of the hologram. "Right." he said. Donna`s eyes shown, "I thought you were leaving."

"I am."

"Then what are you doing_ here_?" she asked curiously.

"Brooding." He chuckled, "I`m actually trying to figure out how to get over my past by confronting it." he said truthfully. Donna smiled in amusement, "How`s that going?"

"I`m working on it...slowly." He said. Donna pulled him into a hug burying her face into his jacket, "Now your a little further."

Jason smiled and closed eyes hugging her back and resting his head on her shoulder. For once he didn't resist the fact that all he wanted to do was be right here for a moment longer. standing there holding on to Donna like that, like she was there for him, it made him think, if he had been with the team from the beginning, if he had done things different, would he have been a better person?

XXXXX

Leaving the tower was exactly what he thought it would be, the best feeling in the world. Like air for a drowning victim. Roy seemed to be happy having not stopped talking since they left, Jason held the back pack over his shoulder, Batman had given them a few civilian clothes and everything else was in the pack. IT was mid day so finding place to talk wasn't hard, they headed to a small café near the edge of...you guessed it Gotham.

This was the only city, now anyways, that Jason or Roy had absolutely not safe house, the one in star city wasn't a good idea seeing as Batman and the others knew about it know from what Tim had told him, as did Talia. Right now they needed to get back on their feet in not only ammo, but in what they were supposed to do now!

"We can go to the closest safe house I know," Jason said, "Virginia, My parents had a deed to a small house, it hasn't been used for a while so it should be a good place to get situated."

"First things first." Roy smirked, "I need my arrows and i really don't feel like making them again, I`ll see what i can find at Queen`s place."

"Want me to come?" Jason asked nonchalantly as he looked outside the window. Roy shook his head, "Nah, you go ahead and I`ll meet you there."

"fine with me." Jason smiled, "I`ve got a few things I need to do any way."

Roy smirked chucking into the rim of his coffee cup. "I`m sure you do."

XXXXX

He`d gotten what's left of his money out of the bank and was now waiting for a flight to Hawaii...he said he had business, he didn't mean in Gotham. He`d be back in Virginia before the third day Roy would be fine with out him, because right now, he`d just gotten a lead on something big, and he wasn't about to let it go to waste. He`d catch up with Roy later.


	16. Chapter 16

"Lets dance freak!" Jason jumped over the group of men his back grazing the ceiling and he pass, he pointed the gun at the control panel, he didn't expect the machine to blow like it did, but when it blew his landing was thrown off and he was thrown threw the door into more men who were trying to run into the room he had just been thrown from.

"You`ll die on this ship Red Hood!" a man yelled, he was tall, beefy and had what looked like and Iron jaw, probable from a ship accident. Jason laughed, "you underestimate me." Jason got up and was almost thrown back to the ground as water rushed into the hall and threw the ship. Jason wobbled on his feet as a number of things in parts of the ship started to short secret and blow, making more and more water rush in. He had to get out or he`d drown.

Jason ran threw the halls as fast as possible but water was holding him back. Jason rounded a corner and crashed into three men he took a step back and shot two of them splattering blood over the walls his gun ran out right there and Jason improvised snapping the man`s neck. suddenly a beam feel from the ceiling and hit him against the face, Jason gasped in pain as a good chuck of his helmet was ripped away and metal cut him just over above his eye. Jason tried to pull himself out of the rising water but his arm was stuck under the metal pipe.

"Ha," The captain of the ship laughed walking over him, "Die Red hood!" Jason gasped as the man shoved his foot on his face pushing his head under water, Jason growled an pulled on him arm until it finally came lose and he punched the man in the gut before jumping up and pulling out him gun shooting the man in she shoulder, "Drown." he growled, he ran down the crashing hall.

He leapt past a few falling beams and pushed aside the rising water with his hands, his shoulder burned and Jason couldn't help but laugh at the thought he just got threw the worst of his wounds and now he just had to get into this. Plus he had spent more then a three days here and he still wasn't close to meeting Roy in Virginia.

"RAHHH!"

the Captain grabbed the back of Jason`s jacket and pulled him back, Jason spun around and pushed the man away grabbing a lose iron bar and hitting the captain over the head, "You just cant let me go can you?" Jason smirked. The submarine gave a violent shove and it reminded him priority was to get out not to kill the captain even thought the maniac deserved it he`d much rather have him drown to death.

Jason jumped up grabbing what was left of a small latter and tried to Climb but the Captain grabbed onto him again and was threatening to pull him under the rising tide.

"Give up Red Hood, escape is impossible, we will die together like men!" He laughed. Jason spun his arm around hitting the man in the face with the side of his gun so hard the Captain let go of him. the man fell back and Jason chuckled over the roar of churning metal and leaking sea water. "There you go again underestimating me."

Jason pulled the trigger multiple times into the man`s head and started to climb back up, "why couldn't he be like every one else and smuggle drug and not nuclear weapons, at least his biggest worry would be sniffing dogs and not guys like me."

He pulled himself up to get on his feet but was pushed back in a rush of water, he couldn't go up because there was not air up there the sub was filling, he dropped his last gun and held his breath swimming to one of the openings in the side of the hall and pulled his way against the tide and out of the side and into the ocean.

XXXXX

"Fucking...fuck...ouch...fuck me." He growled pulling himself onto the sand of who knows, because he didn't. As long as it wasn't the water he was happy. Jason yelled in angry and maybe a slight bit of pain and he laid on the sand holding his reopened side, he was right, fuck him. He could never slow down for a moment, no, because after saving Wally West from his second death, getting stabbing in the proses, twice by the way, apparently that wasn't enough to keep him from sneaking onto a submarine full of people who were smuggling nuclear weapons into the states and get thrown to this place. Fuck where was he?

"Just kill me and get it over with." he whined as the sun came out of the clouds and seemed to cut threw his already not perfect vision at the moment.

"Why would I do such a thing?" Jason sat up and pulled his last gun from his side and pointed it at a girl he had not noticed until now by his side. held the gun under her jaw and narrowed his icy blue eyes, "Who ar- ow, oh ow my head." he said as pain seeped into his skull.

"You have been hurt in battle...yes?" The girl asked, the end of his gun still against her lower jaw turned red with heat and the metal dripped down the barrel of the gun. "Lady you just melted my gun." he said in somewhat of a daze, he couldn't tell if it was his eyes but this chick wasn't right.

For one she was orange and second her own eyes glowed green at him, "I under stand you are confused but please, rest. you are only exhausting yourself." she said reassuringly. Jason couldn't really do much but lay his head back against the sand and pass out there.

XXXXXX

Jason blinked slowly, his head was killing him. slowly he sat up and looked around his surroundings, he vaguely remembered and orange chick melting his gun but no one was around. she obviously wasn't going to kill him seeing as she bandaged his side up with torn cloth. what he found odd at the most was that he was completely naked. where were his pants?

while he looked around he saw his mask and a his suit, he was still in the island of course but off the beach and in a small makeshift shaded spot from the sun`s rays. Quickly he got dressed and kept the mask off, he`s have to fix it later seeing as how the side of it was still shredded, but he really didn't worry about it.

Jason tapped on his wrist hoping to see a screen show and Roy`s irritated face but like everything else it was broken.

"Fuck." he growled, how was he supposed to get out of here now? Jason started down a small winding path, pushing bushes and branches out of his way as he passed by looking everything over and squinting as the sun beat down on him.

"Hello?" he called out as he stepped out of the bushes and onto a small cliff like ledge, a makeshift bridge connected the edge to a large...huge. ship? What else could it be.

"Ah good your awake."

Jason looked to the other end of the bridge to see the orange girl smiling sweetly over at him. ", please follow me."

Jason was hesitant but followed anyway if she wanted to kill him she could have done in earlier while he was passed out, saved herself the trouble. she lead him the a torn part of the ship that gave a great view of course but he didn't want to get to close to the edge. he stood a few feet away looking at her as she turned and smiled that same sweet smile, her red hair seemed to fall into place around her face, "I am princess Koriand`r of the planet Tamaran, welcome to my home."

"um Todd." he said, "Jason Todd."

Kori nodded and began to walk away casually as he followed looking at the ships scared remains, "I don't mean to be rude, seeing as its you I have to thank for bandaging me up again but this place looks less like home sweet home then alien ship wreak and I`m sure if your still here then no one knows about this place witch gives me the idea this thing have a cloaking device, a strong one at that. what are the other features? what's the power source? does it give of radiation? Is it self adapting technology?"

Kori looked over her shoulder a calculated exasperation on her face, "It`s- It`s good your getting your strength back."

Jason smiled rubbing the back of his head, "Sorry, I`m talking to much, your being polite and I`m treating you like my own personal copy of national geographic, left me start over. Thank you princess Koriand`r for helping me."

She smiled again, "Hmm, good, you must be hungry follow me."

Jason shrugged and did as Kori asked following her, "Actually I`d be more interested in finding where I can get some type of call out."

"You have friends you wish to come and get you?" Kori asked curiously, Jason shrugged, "sort of."

She turned around and gestured to the door beside them, "Then if you can get this working you will be able to send message to friends."

"Thanks." he said as the door slid open and walked in and sat down beside a panel and pulled it off looking at the tech, "So, Kori what are you doing here alone?"

"Your earlier guess was correct," She said sitting beside him and watching as he pulled and rearranged the wires, "I left this planet after a...spat if you will and felt I was no longer needed and I was orbiting the planet once again in this, it is not originally mine I confess having this world was having a bit of trouble with the Reach I found this island and found no one so I preferred to stay here, where I would not feel a burden to those I have lost..."

"I`m sorry Kori." Jason said eyeing her with sympathy as he pulled apart to wires and connected them with the opposites.

Kori rubbed her upper arm uncomfortably, "On Tamaran we dwell not on the past but the present, how ever," she said as Jason blinked at her, she ran her fingers against his check, the look in her green eyes made wish he was who she was looking for, "You seem familiar." Jason smirked, "Maybe In a past life Kori but I would remember if I saw you, trust me."

"Oh well." Kori sighed, standing up and walking to the door frame, "If you wish to talk then I shall be else where."

"Got it." He nodded, Jason looked away and continued his work on the electric panel, it was sloppy and un focused as his thoughts were else where as he looked over his shoulder again to see a small dusty box in the corner of the room. his curiosity was to much to handle as he pushed himself to his feet and walked over to it and kneeled down.

Jason brushed away the coat of dust to see, a ripped black and blue suit, but what got his attention was the blue symbol he had come to know as Nightwing. Jason looked up at the door where Kori had disappeared, there was no doubt she loved Dick Grayson, even if for a short time. Jason sighed and ran a hand over the side of his face, this, Kori, was just another person`s life fate had to ruin in a cruel and terrible way.

Kori felt alone, unwanted, unappreciated, if only she knew he had been the same way.

XXXXXX

He had sent a quick message over to the house in Virginia and had to hope Roy was there, having the machine died on him with in moments of coming online, he`s find some other way back to Virginia but first he had to talk to Kori. He wasn't surprised to find her standing ankle deep in the waves looking up at the moon that seemed so much bigger here than anywhere else in the world.

"Kori." Jason said stepping into the water and walking over to her as she turned around to face him, "We need to talk."

Suddenly Kori was right in front of him pressing her lips against his, he was bit reluctant to push her away but did anyway. "What the hell?"

Kori blinked luminous green eyes at him, "this is one of the ways my people share knowledge, language, I only assumed this is what you meant."

Jason smirked, god he loved Kori`s culture, "Yeah, um Kori sit down."

IT only seemed fair to tell her about Nightwing, but once he did he got into the whole story, he told her everything. from the little kid to him and Roy traveling to Virginia to find out what was next on their agenda of things to do. Now there was a second person who knew him, actually knew him understood where he was coming from...damn it.

"And then I ended up here." Jason sighed just as the sky was turning pink and yellow from the sun coming up. "Are you mad?"

Kori tilted her head, "That would be foolish Jason, as I`ve said, on Tamaran we appreciate the past but we do not live there, we live here, now, in the moment."

Jason nodded sighing as a small smile played on the edges of his lips, "Yeah, but it`s harder said then done Princess."

Kori waved her hand in the air creating what looked like waves and tangles of heat and energy, "Jason, some of your people see me as a walking nuclear reactor, but this heat that roars threw my body is supposed to be there," she closed her fist as the energy died in her hand and she placed the same hand on his chest. "But you? If you keep all that heat inside of you, your heat field by rage, it will consume you."

Jason took a deep breath and placed his hand on hers squeezing it softly, "Thank you Kori." He smiled, Kori nodded and wrapped her arms around him hugging him tightly, Jason smiled.

Kori, a real human at heart that took the form of a space kitty who is smarter than anyone gives her credit for, reminds me of me...of us.

"Kori," Jason smiled pulling away after the longest time, "Come with me and Roy, please?" He smiled pleading, "Kori, I don't beg...ever, but I`m doing that right now, do you want to stay here or join two crazy labeled outlaw vigilante`s?"

"Of course I will join you." Kori nodded. Jason smiled, "Great, now one more thing, do you have any type of small ships that we could use?"

Kori smiled in amusement, "I have something better."


	17. Chapter 17

"You can put me down now Kori!" Jason said over the roar of the wind in his ears, Kori nodded and they lowered to the ground, feet hitting the gravel pavement. Jason blinked at the house, this was the address. The was defiantly the place, and this was most likely his house, but it wasn't at the same time, Jason sighed seeing the small, compared to Wayne manor, house at the end of the gravel road, it was obvious that Bruce had found the deed to the house in his room because the paperwork showed the house was only two bedrooms when this clearly had at least a few more and the fact it had the same architectural design as Wayne Manor it was obvious Bruce knew that he would come here at some point in his life, and decided to make this place what? More homey? it was sick in his opinion while Starfire aka Kori smiled at the house, "Lovely architecture."

"Come on." Jason sighed, he didn't see any hidden camera`s pop out of the grass and watch the two so he guessed Bruce had amused he didn't want anything to do with him at the moment...smart man.

Jason looked over at Kori quickening he pace, "I`ll have to apologize in advance in anything stupid Roy does. He can be...a lot."

"If he is your friend then I can only assume the best." She smiled, Jason shook his head laughing softly, she was going to kill him...probably, and the archer would never see it coming. poor Roy. The door was unlock so they just walked in shutting the door softly behind them. They walked down the hall to the living room where they found Roy asleep on the couch, hand behind his head and facing the ceiling in his unconscious state.

"Hungry Kori?" Jason asked casually, Kori shook her head as she walked over to Roy and stood beside him looking at his face with curiosity, Jason walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bag of chips and walked back to lean on the door frame to the kitchen, "You can wake him if you want."

Kori shook her head as she continued to look at Roy, "No thank you, I have done that once before and I understand you human`s wish to stay asleep until you wake up on your own or you get cranky."

Jason chuckled, "Okay I guess your right."

"Of course." Kori nodded, she walked away from Roy to explore the rest of the house witch he had to put on his check list, but first things first. Jason walked over to the couch where Roy was sleeping throwing a few chicken wizzy`s into his mouth before sitting down onto of Roy who tried to jump up in alarm but Jason was still sitting on his stomach, "Oh I`m sorry I didn't see you there lazy ass." Jason smirked. Roy rolled his eyes and Jason got up as Roy shifted into a sitting position.

"Dude," Roy growled rubbing his eyes, "Where were you, I got a message saying you`d be back soon but didn't know if it was some imposter or just really you."

"I can see you were terrified for my safety," Jason said bluntly gesturing to the T.V that was on cartoons, Roy shrugged, "I`m a child at heart, but either way, there's something on the fridge for you and the showers here are amazing."

"That's nice," Jason said, "Listen, I brought someone with me-,"

"Who?" Roy frowned, raising an eyebrow questioningly.

Jason sighed, "Shut up and listen, anyway when I was in Hawaii I took decided to see check out the rumors of a sub sneaking nuclear weapons into the states well I get threw that but I ended up on some island and there was this girl-,"

"A girl?" Roy blinked shifting in his seat, "Are you sure you didn't hit your head because remember that dream I had about me and those twine girls and the whip cream, god talk about heaven!"

Jason pinched the bridge of his nose, "IF you keep talking like that she wont need to kill you because I will, you`ve told that story a million times and it was just a dream so shut up because Kori-"

"So her name is Kori, wait she`s here?" Roy asked shifting more in his seat and smiling and little at the fact he meant to interrupt Jason yet again. Roy got up and pointed up the stairs indicating if she was up there, Jason nodded and pushed Roy aside walking up the stairs first before Roy could. He found Kori in one of the rooms looking out the window.

"Hey Kori." Jason said entering the room she looked up and Jason gestured to Roy, "This is R-"

Roy moved past him and grabbed Kori`s hands bowing but keeping Kori`s eye contact, "Arsenal, but you can call me Roy harper." he kissed her hand gentle an Jason grabbed a small trash can by the door a faked vomit, Kori giggled at this and Jason hid the trash can behind his back as Roy shot a glare at him. He stood back to full height, "So is she going our crusade?"

"Of Outlaws?" Kori asked, "Yes I would like that."

"Outlaws eh?" Roy asked smirking, "I like it."

"Were not giving ourselves a name Roy, It`s childish." Jason said folding his arms over his chest. Roy rolled his eye, "Anyway, I have to show you guys a few thing I`ve been working on and trust me your just going to love this." he smiled.

Jason, Kori and Roy walked back down the stairs and into the garage and all the way down into the basement, Kori blinked, "Is this not where murder happens?"

Jason and Roy laughed, "Only in movies."

Roy flipped on the lights and Jason blinked in surprise at the sight. there were pictures and news paper clips all over the walls and a computer on a pop up table that held a small computer, Roy was really at work with this little space.

Kori grabbed Jason`s upper arm and whispered in his ear, "Is Roy a genius?"

Jason laughed in a low tone so Roy wouldn't hear, "A little bit, but don't tell him that or It`ll go to his head." Kori smiled in understanding and walked over to the table looking at the pictures, "Who is this woman?"

Jason walked over to her and picked up the picture and chuckled, "God Roy you know me so well."

"Right?" Roy smiled kicking his feet on the table, he looked to Kori, "Talia ah Ghul tried to kill us and she should know were not going to roll over and avoid her, we hold grudges, you don't have to kill anyone just send them our way and we`ll take them out."

Kori narrowed her green eyes, "I`m sure I`ll be fine Ray."

Jason chuckled and Roy bit his lower lip and cleared his throat, "Um sorry?" there were few things scarier than Kori when she got angry, he was just glad he wasn't on the receiving end.

Kori blinked folding her arms over her chest, "If I am to join the team I should be able to pull my own weight, I`m fine with taking out this woman if she has harmed you to in any way."

Jason and Roy shared a look, the n looked back to Kori, "Okay, but it can get messy."

"I`m sure I`ll be fine with that." Kori said. Roy nodded and looked to him, "Listen J-bird, there's something for you in the den up stairs, you should go and check that out, well be ready by tomorrow."

"Sure," Jason nodded and left Kori with Roy as he headed back up the stairs and into the den room, the room was normal size with a large bed and a desk in the corner with a small laptop with a sticky note that read:_ Jason._

IT wasn't hard to recognize Bruce`s hand writing as he sat down and turned on the laptop. he pulled up the video and looked over his shoulder to make sure Roy and Kori weren't ease dropping, as much as he like those two what Bruce had for him was private, plus he really didn't want any pep talks, therapy or mind game if they same him killing the computer after he saw whatever Bruce left for him.

he took a deep breath and pressed on the space bar. Bruce was instantly on the screen, no cowl, just bright blue eye, black greasy hair and that same stony expression on his face that he`s probably wore since his parents died all those years ago.

Bruce sighed and Jason closed his own mouth to stop from doing the same thing, "Jason, I know you don't want to talk to me, the truth is I don't want to talk to you either, so I`m being a coward and hoping you find this here, hoping that you`ll listen to what I have to say," Jason bit the inside of his check, as Bruce took a deep breath and blinked, "You know I`ve never been great at talking to you, or Dick, or Tim for that matter, Alfred does a better job when I seem to make things worse, but I have to say this."

Bruce ran a hand threw his hair and Jason clenched his teeth till he could feel his gums ach from the pressure, "Jason, you were my greatest failure. I saw you, the position you were in as a child and instantly thought of Dick and I thought I could take away the anger that you had and replace it with something you needed, but I did it in the worst way, for that I`m sorry Jason." Bruce looked away from the camera for a movement only to look back clear eyed as usual, "I was never your father, but still I wanted what anyone would want...for their son, I wanted you to be happy, hope that you could do anything you set your eyes on and now I realized that's-"

Jason sat there staring at the blank screen, his finger on the power button, he didn't want to listen, or he couldn't, it was all the same in the end...right?


	18. Chapter 18

Kori dropped Roy and Jason beside the building and stepped down beside them as the two loaded their weapons, Jason looked over his shoulder as snow blurred the mountain side, but standing next to Kori had advantages, seeing as how she practically radiated heat, "Remember, were sending a message, no killing Talia, if we do that then her father will come down on us harder then shit, and then we`ll have to get involved in so much crap I`ll end up shooting myself, got it?"

Roy and Kori nodded in respond and Jason smiled past his mask, "Good, lets go...team." he said, Jason and the other two snuck threw the rocky path and snow, Roy had done a good, no great job in tracking the bitch -Talia- down to this location, also gaining some dirt on her, she`s been here for the past few months, doing what? He didn't care, he just wanted to kick her ass once more to show they wouldn't cower away from her like pathetic rats in a sewer. This was war, you either held up your hands and died with nothing, or you held up your gun and died with what respect and pride you had in yourself. the choice was easy. for him at least.

They pushed the door`s aside and were met by two unprepared assassins who instantly got ready but were to late as Jason and Roy shot both one arrow and one bullet threw the men`s head`s, they fell to the floor in a heap and it wasn't long before they were met by more ninja`s, Jason jumped up an pushed his foot against a man`s face, "watching outlaw`s are moving here!"

Roy looked up as he held and arrow in his hand and spun a man around shoving it into the guy`s chest before pushing him into move ninja`s, "Ha!"

Jason rolled his eyes and he hit the floor and slid under on man`s lags and Jason flipped onto his back and shot at the man`s back he rolled back to his feet and spun around hitting a man in the face with the barrel of his gun.

Jason took a step back as another ninja jumped from the group, he raised his gun and shot the man in the head before the man ever got close. He jumped as someone tried to knock his feet from under him and Jason pulled out his knife and threw it catching a guy just behind Roy. Roy could only nod his thanks before shooting a man in the back of the group, the arrow blew knocking a few others out in the proses.

Jason side stepped as a man brought down a sword next to him and he grabbed the man`s arm and pulled him into a head but, he took the sword and twisted it around stabbing the man threw the chest then bringing the sword over the man who was running at him, the man dropped to the floor and slid under the sword but Jason quickly stopped the man as he pressed his foot onto his chest, he brought the sword down into the man`s head before shoving the sword behind him catching another guy.

Jason jumped up kneeing a guy in the jaw and dropping the sword after stabbing him in the side, he flipped over the falling body and landed on another`s shoulders, he brought his hands onto the man`s ears deafening him. he jumped off the man and the man spun around and threw a jab at him but Jason slid past it and twisted around the man, kicked out hi legs and snapped his neck from behind.

he pulled out his gun and shot out an shot out getting head and neck shots, he shot a glance to Kori to see if she was handling this well and saw she was doing as well as he and Roy was and once she grabbed a man by the neck and just disintegrated him, she shot star bolts out and a man flew threw the wall.

Jason threw his gun down once the clip ran out and ran at the first man he saw, he jumped over the ninja and landed in front of another he reached behind him grabbing the mans arm and swinging him around and making the two crash into each other Jason jumped over them and landed on top as they fell over. Jason gestured down the hall saying it was time to move down, Kori shot a blast down the hall turning a group of men to ash before they could blink twice.

Roy pulled Kori into a hug kissing her on the cheek, "God life will get so good with you here."

when Jason was sure Kori would slap him she only smiled and kissed him on the cheek, "Sweet." she smiled. Jason walked past loading his gun, "Get a room," he looked down the hall and noted two ways, "Okay, you two head left, I got right."

"You sure?" Roy asked, Jason nodded and they separated, it wasn't long till he was racing down the stair with men running up, Jason crashed into the first man and flipped over them, he flew a flash bang as he crashed threw the door and pulled out his extra gun and pointed it. Jason blinked, Talia wasn't in the room...so, were was she?

Suddenly someone dropped down behind him and Jason spun around earning a knee to his jaw, he rolled back on to his feet and shot at Talia who jumped over the bullets and landed in front of him. He kicked the guns from his hands and Jason grabbed one of her punches spinning her around and pinning her to his chest as he held her arm down.

"I should kill you." he growled, she pulled away but Jason still had a hold of her arm and brought her back and punched her in the face and swung his foot around under her feet making her hit the floor on her back, She grabbed one of his guns on the floor and pulled it on him.

Jason leapt to the side and grabbed a vase from a small table and threw it at her, Talia ducked and ran at him, she jumped over him and before she could do anymore Jason turned around and put his last gun to the back of her head.

"Maybe I will." he said, Talia reached behind her and Jason took a step back, "Ah ,ah ,ah."

Her brown eyes glared hate fully at him, "You can`t wont kill me Jason, your to weak."

"You wanna die?" Jason spat curly. Talia lunged at him and jumped up wrapping her legs around his waist and bringing him down, Jason had to drop the gun in order to flip her over and come out on top, "your not thinking Talia, give me something to work with." he smirked.

Talia spat at him but Jason knew, saw something in her eyes that said she had other things on her mind. "did I came at a bad time?" he smiled coldly and the woman.

"you could have call first." she spat back, Talia flipped him over and held his hands down with her knees, Talia smiled darkly at him as she slowly drew her hands behind his head and pulled off his hood with a slight click. she threw it to the side and smile one of those crazy on the inside smiles. Talia rested her hand on his chest as she leaned over their noses almost touching, "I can`t believe I wasted my father`s trust to help you."

Jason chuckled, "we both know you didn't help me just because your secretly a saint, you saved me because of that made up thing you see between you and Batman, but face it, he has more of a relationship with Joker than he`ll ever have with you!"

Talia pulled a knife from her boot and Jason pulled his hands out from under her knees and he grabbed her wrist as she tried to shove the blade into his head. she pushed hard and Jason struggled to push her away, Talia wasn't weak, she was pretty strong, Jason looked down at his side and saw his chance, he shoved the blade back and took the few seconds he had as he flipped her over, Talia gasped as her back hit the ground again but she didn't hesitate to try and stab him again, Jason grabbed her wrists and twisted making Talia drop the blade and Jason stabbed her in the shoulder.

She cried out in pain but stuffed her cries with a glare, he sent it right back, "mess we us again and I`ll paint the room with your blood, got it."

"I`m going to rip your insides out and feed them to the man bats, only after I kill you precious team and I snap your brothers neck!" She spat as Jason got off of her putting pressure on the knife in her shoulder as he did, "That's nice." he said, "And I`ll be waiting."

he lifted his foot and smashed it into her face knocking her out, he walked over to his hood and picked it up as the door blew open and Roy and Kori stepped in.

Roy noted Talia, who was lying on the floor, "we good here?"

"Were good here." Jason smirked putting on his hood.

XXXXXX

Jason tapped his foot staring at the computer again, if he was ever going to get over this, his past, he was going to have to watch the rest of the video. it was as easy as just pressing play and looking at the screen, so why was this so hard?

"Jason?"

He looked over his shoulder to see Kori standing at the door to his room, a worried look on her face. She walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder, "You are conflicted?"

He shrugged, "I guess."

Kori wrapped her arms around his neck and rest her head on his shoulder as he continued to look at the screen, "Do you wish me to turn it on if you cant?"

Jason sighed in response and pulled the vibrating phone from his pocket, "No thanks, besides I`ve got a call."

Kori nodded and squeezed him lightly, "you are a good man Jason, when the time is right you will see this, as will your father." She kissed him on the check and walked away as Jason pressed the talk on the buzzing phone.

Tim`s face came up and Jason couldn't help but snicker at the boy`s tired face and a clear black eye, "rough night boy wonder?"

"You have no idea, but the fight goes on." Tim said scratching his forehead. Jason nodded, "It always does, what`d you need."

Tim blinked and leaned back in his chair, the darkness around the edges of the phone made it easy to see Tim was in the cave, "Um, I need to know what you know on Black mask seeing as how he was your official chew toy for a few months."

Jason laughed, "Why do you want to know, is he up to his crap again."

Tim shrugged, "this and that, Bruce is in metropolis taking up a few things on the Joker, so I`d thought I push black mask back into his own territory, he`s claiming yours again."

Jason shrugged carelessly, "That's fine I don't need that anymore, what's the problem?"

Tim gestured to his eye, "That's not all, he`s got major gun shipments to the north side of Gotham, it`s all pointing to two places for the drop off and the pick up he`s requiting to so there's that, but I just wanted to know what his interest in chemicals was."

Jason blinked, "Black mask has to interest in chemicals Tim, it`s guns, explosives and helicopters with this guy."

Tim frowned, "That's what I was thinking, there might be more to this."

Jason nodded, "Need help?"

Tim shook his head, "no, I`ll take it and question later, thanks Jay."

Jason nodded and turned off the phone throwing it on the bed, he looked back to the computer and sighed before pressing the play button and the video resumed where he had left it. With Bruce staring into the camera and chewing on Jason`s nerves. "- Now I realized, that's what killed you Jason, You were right he first time Jason I failed you, ad for that I`m sorry, I wasn't there for you when you needed me."

Bruce took a deep sigh, "But now that over now, your alive, you got that second chance you`ve needed for a long time. Jason this family is screwed up in unbelievable ways and I`m not saying come home, I`m just saying you have a home to come back to when you need it son." Bruce instantly turned off the recorder and the video stopped. Jason ran a hand threw his hair digging his finger into his scalp out of frustration. it was going to be a long night.


	19. Chapter 19

"A little help would be nice!" Roy snapped irritably back on his feet almost all the was to where the back of his head was almost touching the ground, as Bonfire flung a steam of fire in his direction. Superboy smashed down next to Bonfire and pushed him in the chest once the man turned towards him, Bonfire was thrown back in to Guardian who spun the man around throwing him into the man named The Blaze the two collided and hit the concert with a solid thud.

Jason jumped up and kicked Brick away and flipped back pulling out his guns and shooting at the man`s rocky skin. Donna landed down beside him, "you bullets are useless against him!? Jason raised and eyebrow and laughed pointing his gun and shooting the man in the eye, it didn't kill him but it blinded him for a moment as Donna uppercut the man into the side of a building, "It work well enough."

"Kori?" Jason and Donna looked to see Nightwing drop from the bio ship wide eyed at Kori who blinked once at Nightwing before turning back to the battle.

Jason chuckled and shook his head, suddenly he caught something from the corner of his eye, "Down!" he yelled tackling Donna to the floor as Dead shot pulled the trigger.

Robin and Batgirl ran at dead shot ready to take him out before he could shoot anyone else. Jason sat up and helped Donna do the same, "You okay?" Donna nodded looking at the scratch on her shoulder, "Just a flesh wound, thanks Jay."

He smiled, "It`s what I do."

Donna nodded her blue eyes staring at him, Jason just realized his hand was still on her back and they were sitting closely, "Um..." Donna said, Suddenly Roy scatted to a halt beside them, "Sorry it interrupt your little moment but Red I need your help here, Troy help Miss M and Conner secure that building before it breaks down on you heads."

Donna nodded and glanced at Jason once more before flying off towards M`gann and Conner. Roy ran off not waiting for him as he got up and pulled out three ninja stars and placed them in the spaces between his fingers, He ran up beside Roy who shot and arrow hitting Bonfire in the shoulder the man gasped pausing his flames for a moment as he spun around to face them, Jason and Roy jumped at the same time and punched the man in the face.

Red hood spun around as he landed behind Bonfire and ranked the blades across the man`s back light enough so it wouldn't kill but enough to leave scars. Blue beetle flew down beside them as Jason tied the man`s hands, "Aqualad, the fire powered are controlled you and L`gann are good to go."

It wasn't long before the bio ship was back over their heads and Aqualad, L`gann and beast boy hopped out, "Lets get this fire secured!" Aqualad yelled the order, Jason ran over to a fire hydrant and blew the top, "Hey, kid." Beast boy looked over his shoulder at Jason who nodded to the water and Beast boy formed an elephant taking some of the water as it sprayed out.

He ran over to the building Donna ,wonder girl and Conner were trying to stabilize, "Are there people in there?" He asked Donna who was digging her heels into the ground and holding her lasso around the building nodded gritting her teeth together, Jason looked around seeing that most of the five building had someone searching the burning buildings. Roy grappled into the top of the building while Jason leapt threw one of the windows.

The flames no longer felt like they were trying to rip and claw at them now that the two fire villain`s were out, but the heat was still insane. It was never their intention to help Green arrow after a group of his foes decided to tear up main street, Young just had arrived only a few moments later, by now ash and smoke was covering everything.

Jason pushed aside a fallen beam and slapped his shoulder into a locked door, it flung open and gestured for three of the people inside to the hall, once the apartment was cleared he jumped to the next floor, he chuckled, this reminded him of a mission as Robin. unfortunately the whole thing turned out completely different in the end but still, memories.

After helping someone out on the second floor he ran into Roy, "You searched bottom?"

"Were good, lets go!" he yelled Jason and Roy ran down the hall the floor crashed and shattered under their feet before they crashed threw the one window Jason landed on his hands ad pushed off landing on his feet before looking around and seeing that most of the fire`s were slowly starting to dwindle as fire trucks came in and started on the fires.

"That went well." Donna said rubbing the back of her neck. Jason chuckled, "Better than it could of gone."

"Thanks for the help." he said. "looks like Green arrows got his hands full."

"You think?" She smiled shacking her head, she smiled at him and he smiled back but then she turned her head rubbing her upper arm uncomfortably, JAson blinked, "What?"

"Nothing Jason, I-I`ll see you later." she said she tried to fly away but Jason grabbed her hand and he couldn't help notice the way her fingers tightened around his, "Donna, come on, what`s up?"

"Nothing, seriously, I have to go." her hand pulled away from his and she was gone. Jason sighed and looked over his shoulder seeing Tim and Dick talking with Aqualad. He turned away and headed over to Roy and Kori who were waiting for him, "Guy`s I`ll catch up with you later, I have to talk with Batman."

Roy and Kori shared a look, and Kori placed a hand on his shoulder, "Things will work out for the best Jason."

"what she said." Roy smiled, Roy turned to Kori, one of those funny lopsided grins on his face, "So, how about that date?"

Jason smiled and rolled his eyes as he walked away, Tim was just speaking with Dick when he came up to him, "Hey golden boy, how`d that thing with Black mask go." Jason glanced at Dick who folded his arms over his chest, it was almost obvious Jason was trying to piss the circus freak off, knowing Tim was coming to him for advice.

Tim shrugged, "Um, I`m headed back out to catch the next shipment tonight, after that I think I should have what I need to get a small investigation going on his company."

"Great, you headed back to the cave?" He asked, Tim and Dick shared a look but Dick was the one who answered, "Why do you want to know?"

"Does it look like I was talking to you?" Jason growled, Dick frowned, "Seeing as how I`m older then both of you and the fact you burnt the cave the last time you were there I really think you should be."

"Well I`m not and sides, I`ve got a sorta invitation from Bruce and his stupid video he left me, so I need to talk to him." Jason spat. Dick laughed coldly, "Ha, you want to talk, more like try and mess up more shi-"

"Nightwing!" Robin growled, "Both of you shut up, God I swear sometimes I`m more mature then both of you put together," Tim growled he looked up at him, "Bruce wont be back till tomorrow, remember Metropolis?"

"That's fine, it`ll give me a head start to actually plan what I need to say." he said, "Lead on."

Tim smiled, "Okay."

"I`m coming with you two." Dick said, he narrowed his eyes at Jason, "Just in case."

the three grappled to the roof tops that hadn't been turned to charcoal and Jason pushed Dick aside just as he shot his grapple gun making the claw at the end of the gun bounce off the wall and hit Dick in the crouch. Jason started to crack up laughing as he landing on the roof, Tim rolled his eyes and tried to hold back his own snickers of amusement as they waited for Dick to jump up beside them, Jason was sure he was still walking funny.

"Paybacks a bitch." Dick growled at Jason.

"And apparently so are you now." Jason burst into laughing and Tim did the same clutching his sides.

"HaHa, very funny." Dick growled pushing the two aside.

XXXXXXXX

Dick, Jason and Tim walked out of the blinding light of the zeta beam and into the darkness of the cave, it would be imposable to see anything if it wasn't for their masks that should more then the naked eye could see.

"Lights." Dick said as they walked up the steps, Dick and Tim pulled off their mask`s and threw tem on the desk and Tim threw his cape ash covered cape into the hamper. Jason hadn't noted he`d probably be covered in ash and smelled like smoke. Jason pulled off his hood and frowned brushing dust off of it walking over placing it on the desk. Tim ruffled his own black hair, a cloud of dust disappearing into the air.

"Alfred is going to kill me if I get this on the carpet." Tim sighed dusting off his shirt. Jason smiled shoving his hands in his jacket pockets as he looked around the cave, it look like it used to except he spotted a few scorched marks on the rock where the fire had reached it and brut it away.

"Does it feel good to be back?" Tim asked curiously checking the computer for any messages from Bruce. All Jason could do was shrug and run a hand threw his hair he walked to the other side of the computer and leaned against the key board and looked around at the darkness. was this such a good idea after all? maybe he should of waited for Bruce to come back before he came here.

The sound of the elevator reaching the floor made Tim spin around in the chair and Dick and Jason look up as if they excepted Bruce to walk threw the doors, because the tension in the room was enough to make him want to shot himself. Getting this over quickly was the only real thing he wanted from this his time here.

It of course wasn't Bruce, like Tim said, the man would be back tomorrow, probably at the latest time. Instead it was Alfred and Ace, the big black dog saw the three and ran over to them whining and barking excitedly and jumping from one person to the next before they could blink. Jason looked up from Ace who jumped up trying to lick his face, to see Alfred who was walking a little slower over to him.

When Ace jumped away over to Dick, Jason was free to walk over to Alfred who stopped in front of Jason and looked up at him blinking, Jason opened his mouth to speak but Alfred hugged him tightly, "My boy, you have been fiercely missed around this house hold, by all."

Jason hugged the older man back, "Thanks Alfred."

After a moment Alfred pulled away dabbing his eyes with a small handkerchief that had and always would be in the man`s right pocket. "Look at you boys," Alfred said and he smacked Jason lightly on the shoulder, "All of you getting my nice clean floor filthy, Timothy, Richard, go wash that filth from your hair and get ready for dinner, Jason give me this-," Alfred said taking Jason`s ash coated jacket, "And go to Master Bruce's rom there should be some thing in the closet suitable for you to wear, the same goes for you to. go on while I clean up here."

the three brothers walk up the stairs and Jason looked over his shoulder smiled brightly at Alfred, "he hasn't changed a bit."

Tim nodded, "and he never will, Alfred`s the best."

XXXXXXX

After Dinner Tim got redressed in his Robin uniform and headed back out on the Black mask assignment while Dick was playing chess with Alfred in the study, Jason himself had been reluctant to sit on his but and watch TV till he went to sleep so he settled for sitting in the cave to read the villain bio`s Batman had. he was struggling to stay awake with his elbow on the arm rest of the chair and his head on his hand.

He still hadn't decided how he was going to talk to Bruce about the video. and he even bother to think about it as he passed out in the chair, the computer`s bright blue glare lighting up the whole cave as he slept.

XXXX

Beep!

Jason lifted his head off the chair in mild panic, for a moment he had no real clue where he was till his sore eyes adjusted to the computer`s light. He looked to see and incoming call and reached forward to turn it on when the person on the other end hung up before the second beep. Jason pinched the bridge of his nose and looked at the clock, it read : five twenty five, before he could make his own choices, Jason passed back out.


	20. Chapter 20

His breath came in quick gasp of air as he ran down the skinny halls, hands brushed against the bare walls of the maze. all he could hear was the sound of his own footstep, the only light came from one or two lights over head that always were spaced by and dark space that made his heart leap into his throat when he went down them.

Now he knew the difference between scarred and terrified, it wasn't the fact he was trapped in this hell hole, the fact he was unprepared, or the face that anything could reach out and kill him, no it was the fact he was useless, he was being lead around like a mouse in a maze and he had no control over anything! He knew he was probably going to die. that much was obvious but that was scary not terrifying, not yet.

His inside jumped while he ran as the speaker`s came on, loud and clear, "If you die before you wake..."

He looked around and ran up a fight of stairs, before crashing threw a wooden door, but the voice still rung out, "don't cry, don't ach..."

He ran down the hall, ignoring the slight sweat on his forehead and the small stinging cut over his eye, those were his only wound he had noted so far other than the head ach, good, he needed everything he had if he was going to get out of here, "Nothing`s ever yours to keep..."

He stopped his feet sliding on the tile and hope hit him like a kick to the gut when he saw the vent, "so close your eyes and go to sleep."

He ran at the wall and he kneeled beside the vent and pulled the iron bars out from the weak wall and started to crawl threw, he could already taste the fresh air. Suddenly hands wrapped around his ankles and he cried out, terrified as he was pulled back, "Your not leave are you?"

he was cuffed quickly and flipped onto his back, a familiar face, cold and cruel was only inches from his own, "The party`s just started."

_Somebody...help me. _he thought to himself as he was knocked out once more.

XXXXX

"Jason, wake up." Jason`s eyes fluttered open to see Dick looking down at him, the concern was evident on the older boys face as Jason ran a hand threw his hair and yawned, "Is Bruce here?"

Dick shook his head, "No, it`s only me you and Alfred."

Jason nodded tiredly looking at the clock on the computer that told him it was time to get the hell up, 4:34. "then what`s up?" He asked standing up so he wouldn't fall asleep again. Dick nodded to the computer, "There was a call, late last night, did it say who it was?"

Jason shook his head, "No, the call ended after the first ring, why?"

Dick frowned at the screen, "The call was mark urgent, and the only people who have this line are Tim, Bruce and a select few from the Team."

"So," Jason asked, Dick bit his lower lip and folded his arms over his chest in thought, "So...the person on the other end didn't stop the call, the signal was cut."

Jason narrowed his icy blue eyes, "Who?"

Dick took a deep breath, and met his eyes, "I don't know, but Jason, Tim didn't come home last night, he didn't even call in, and his tracer-,"

Jason growled pinching the bridge of his nose, "The kid got rid of it when he took out the cameras in the suits, fuck."

Dick nodded, "Come on we have to go and get him."

Jason frowned following Dick to the Car, "Tim said he was going after a shipment in Black mask`s territory, do you know where?" he asked picking up his hood on the way to the car. Dick shook his head, "No, but if we ask nicely we might get a good answer." They jumped into the car and Jason loaded his gun, "Fuck nicely were going the splatter that pricks brains over his nice painted walls if he doesn't give us what we want."

"Yep." Dick nodded grabbing the steering wheel tightly, Jason wasn't at all surprised Dick was agreeing with him, this was Tim, Robin, Dick and him might not consider each other brothers anymore but Tim was a brother to both of them and every way a blood brother could be. they were not going to let some ass hat stand in their way, if Robin was in trouble then it was bad, he was just sorry for the guy who would have to deal with them once they found him.

"Maybe I should call Bruce." Dick said reaching for the screen on the cars dash, as they drove off, Jason smacked Dick`s hand away from it, "Are you serious? If Batman found out Tim was captured he`d lose it and even If we get Tim back he`ll still be dead after batman locks him away on that fucking tower, literally. We got this."

Dick swallowed hard, "Your right, bedside's it`s what we do right." Jason and Dick shared and look and Jason nodded, "Damn straight."

XXXXXX

"Your both dead, you hear me? DEAD!" Black mask screamed as Nightwing held the man`s head on the desk while Jason brushed off the blood from killing all of his men. Nightwing pushed him harder into the desk, "And how has that worked out the last few times you`ve tried?"

"Your not going to get a thing out of me, ever!" Black mask spat coldly at them, Jason rolled his eyes, "As you well know I have issues and I would be more than happy to beat the living shit out of you if you don't give us that damned location!" he hissed threw gritted teeth as he walked over and pushed the nozzle of the gun onto his head.

"Read my lips, I will never tell you a damn thing." Dick pulled the man off the table and threw him onto the floor, putting his foot on Black mask`s throat, "then were going to make live very hard for you." Jason leaned down and tired the grappling hood around the man`s feet while Dick tied his hands. After Jason raised his gun and shot the window making it shatter and wind come rushing in.

Nightwing pulled a screaming and squirming Black mask over to the window and dropped him out of it, Jason growled as the rope in his hands went taught and he gradually wrapped it around his hand as he made his way over to the window.

"You sure your not going to tell us?" Dick asked looking down as Black mask hung there.

"NEVER!"

Jason sighed and lowered the rope so quickly even Dick jumped a little before he caught it again. "How bout now?" Jason asked.

"Your wasting air and my valuable time!"

Dick crossed his arms over his chest, "He`s right, but we need to get him to talk."

Jason started to pull him up, "I`ll get him to talk."

Nightwing and Jason threw the man into the chair and Dick took a few steps back. He was uncertain bout Jason`s methods but they had to find Tim and as long as Black mask came back alive, what other choices did he really have? Other then to wait for Bruce who like always was going to come back as late as he could, when they needed answers now.

Jason picked up and piece of glass from the broken window and shoved it into Black mask`s shoulder, black mask`s scream`s were cut off as Jason covered the man`s mouth with a gloved hand, "Now, your going to tell me where you held that shipment, and I might not pull this sharp piece of glass all the way down to your waist and make you walk to the nearest hospital holding your insides in one hand."

Black mask just glared at him, as cold as ever and Jason sighed, "Fine." and he grabbed hold of the glass and started to pull.

XXX

"That was messy and uncalled for." Dick growled hopping into the car, Jason laughed, "It`s how I work curcus freak and besides we know where to go now, I didn't see you coming up with any great plans to get him to talk."

"Not literally." Dick sighed as Jason tossed him the small phone Black mask had given them, the screen was blank and it didn't turn on at all so it was probably just a gimmick or and trick, but Black mask was telling the truth. Jason knew it more then anyone.

Suddenly the screen turned a fuzzy gray as it tried to find a signal, Jason and Dick shared and look before an image of a small room appeared. with dusty black and white tiles covering the floor with small splatters of blood and paper everywhere, there was only one light hanging from the ceiling that barley lit much of the room. Then the camera moved to an eye placed right on the camera so they couldn't see a face.

The man pulled back his arms crossed in a pout over his chest but the same homicidal grin was stretched like never before. "Hey, if it isn't bird boy one and two!"

"Joker!" Dick and Jason growled at the same time.

"That's right," Joker smiled his green eyes wide and held that same crazy that had murdered thousands, "Hm, Your early to the party but being the guest of honor we can make and exception!"

Dick held the phone a little tighter, "This isn't a party Joker!"

Joker laughed loudly his long skinny arms stretched out, "Of course it is," The man grabbed the camera, "And here`s the entertainment."

The camera spun around and adjusted to the darkness to show Robin, strapped to a table, his black hair covering his eyes and face, his gloves and belt were gone and aside from a bruise and a cut on his forehead he look unharmed but it didn't stop the two from curling their fist so tight their knuckles turned white.

"You see," Joker smiled leaning into view again, "After that little shin dig with red and that crazy ninja lady, I realized oh my god Red has gotten over me and is leaving me with the rest of you freaks HA!" Joker giggled, "Any way, while I was still in Arkham thinking about how much fun you and me had Red I had and idea, all of you little brats have done is ruin me and Bat`s fun, and if the second Robin was so fun to put six feet under what about all three!"

"You planned this didn't you." Jason growled. Joker giggled, "Of course I did, you three are so closely knitted around everything that if I hit you where it hurt, your death sigh, and your tiny birdy boy you`d all come running, of course now it`s our turn to have some fun and if I see anything that looks like the bat I`ll split the kids gut before you put the phone down."

Joker smiled at the silence and waved, "Ta-ta for now."

Dick took a deep breath as the phone`s screen went black again and Jason couldn't undo his own ball up fist, "he wants us to come."

Dick nodded, "and he knows if he has Robin, we will."

Jason glanced at Dick, "lets go."


	21. Chapter 21

Jason and Dick crashed down threw the roof window and into the same small room that had been on the camera. They looked around the empty room and instantly ran over to the table that held a body, blood leaked from the bodies fingers and over the edges of the silver table, hands and feet were strapped down and messy black hair was covering the boy`s blood smeared face.

"Robin..." Dick said pressing a hand to the boy`s still chest and grabbing the fabric. Jason frowned and walked over quickly and roughly pushed the black hair from the boy`s face to see someone who wasn't Robin, this wasn't Tim.

"Surprise!" Yelled a voice in the speakers Dick and Jason got back to back and all they could do was wait for something to happen, their eyes where trained on the door and they weren't prepared for the floor to open under them and they hit the fragile wooden floor.

Jason growled and tried to push himself up when his hand brushed a familiar fabric, he looked over and gasped seeing Robin laying beside him and Nightwing and Jason reached from Tim and shook him, "Robin, come on time to get up."

Tim`s fingers twitched slightly and Jason growled looking around the dark room, he hosted himself on his arm and slapped Tim across the face, "Robin!"

Tim`s eyes snapped open and sat up faster then he could blink, "Wha- your- you guy should never have come." he said his voice stuttered and uneasy. Dick tried to push himself up, "We`d never leave you."

The floor creaked under their weight and with a sudden jolt it broke under them and they tumbled down hitting dirt and mud and water as they stumbled down the hill like hole, they hit rock bottom jumbled up against each other. Jason hissed and tried to regain the air that had been knocked out of him, they were in a small muddy dirt floored room, no light except from the place they had just fallen from.

"What is this place." Dick growled threw gritted teeth as they felt around the walls for something, anything.

Tim found a small handled and pulled on it opening a door way to a narrow hall, they had no real choices, it was this way or stay. They walked down the hall. there were three doors at the end with a smile painted on the front of each.

"What is this." Jason hissed.

"Just call it my own personal investment you wont cheat pumpkin." Joker`s voice sounded loud and clear on the hidden speakers. The three stood there sharing a quick look before glancing back at the wooden doors, "that's you que to open the doors sweeties, sigh they just don't make common sense like they used to."

"A little impatient aren't we?" Tim growled looking around.

"Tsk tsk Boy blunder, it`s all part of the party but you have to open the surprise first!" Joker giggled cheerfully.

Dick rolled his eyes behind his mask and nodded to them counting down with his fingers, one, two ,three. All three of them grabbed onto the door handles and it lit up like a light shocking each one of them until they fell to the floor unconscious.

Jason`s head hit the ground and as hard as he tried to make his limbs move it was no use, and then he was out.

XX

Jason`s head rolled against the hard ground, he groaned against the ach in his bones as he pulled rolled onto his back and sat up looking at his tied legs and he could feel the rope rub against him raw skin.

Dried mud stuck to every inch of his skin and his suit, it didn't take him more then a minute to realize his Jacket, guns, and gloves were gone, the water that had been on them when they were shocked had given the shock and extra voltage.

IT took more out of him then he thought, Jason growled as a light turned on above him and his eyes got wide as a small robot standing over him brought down a crowbar, he rolled away and onto his tied feet. another robot came out of the shadows and swiped under him and Jason jumped up and kicked off of the bot making tit crash into the other one.

"Ah your awake, hm, you boy`s always make so much racket." Joker`s voice sounded threw the room loud and clear but it seemed to bounce around making it impossible to pinpoint.

Jason pulled against the rope breaking on his hands before pulling the rope off his legs before standing up and getting a good look around the room, it was smaller but there was no denying this was meant to look like the ware house...where he was blown up.

"Do you like the décor? I Personally it think it`s could use a little...red." Joker laughed and Jason ignored the man looking around, he didnt see Nightwing or Robin. So where were they?

"I`m not playing your sick game of hide and seek Joker, come out and fight me like a man you piece of shit!" Jason hissed threw gritted teeth.

"Tsk, Tsk, Red, is that any way to treat a friend, besides i bruise easy." Joker giggled, "Besides this is a party so lets have some fun."

"The only fun I`m going to have is when rip out your throat like i should have done I moment i saw you." he spat, Jason walked over to the door and found it was lock, just like before, funny. He took a step back and kicked the door open and Joker Laughed his still impossible to pinpoint in the hall way.

"Wow and you`ve sure gotten graphic red, oh this is going to be fun! Hold that thought red big in blue is waking up, oh good!" the halls instantly got quiet and Jason was able to focus on the task at hand, finding the others and getting out of this hell hole.

Jason looked around and suddenly the floor opened beneath him and Jason gasped grabbing the edge, he wasnt falling down not again! he was pulling himself up when suddenly the wall he was facing crashed into him and he had no choice but to hand on the floor.

All around shown mirrors here and there, he walked around eyeing every corner cautiously, this was a maze, so he had to get threw this, this game that the Joker had made up for his own insane reasons to show he was still prince of crime.

Suddenly something jumped out next to him and Jason spun and punched hitting the glass and earning a think cut on the back of his hand but he ignored it the best he could as he looked around behind him, this were mirror's he dealing with if he saw one thing here it had to be somewhere else. he saw it, it was a standing cut out of the a clown, someone, Joker obviously was pulling switches in this mad house and that meant trouble for everyone.

he walked over to it and something brushed against the front of his ankle and his took a sharp breath when he heard a hard, solid, clink. He didn't bother to look so he settled for his best option, he pushed himself over one of the mirrors and crashed into the walls, they were the weakness part of the building and it was his only escape before the room blew.

He rolled feeling pieces of glass hit against him like rain. it cut against his bare hands hand and cut threw his suit not getting anything important but it stung like hell.

"Shish you never heard of a door kid?" Joker pouted but it didn't last, "carry on, and try not to blow up any more of my rooms if your not in it, this stuff isn't cheap you know."

"Screw you." Jason growled getting up and carrying on down the hall.

"hey Red," Joker grinned into the speakers, "What really goes bum in the night."

Jason blinked and opened his mouth when something slammed into his side and he was throw threw the wall and into the next room, he got to his feet coughing and looked up as another trigger somewhere was pulled and a net of bricks smashed into his side as he tried to jump out of the way, Jason hissed as he hit the floor and rolled to a stop.

"Fucking...hate...clowns." he hissed out of breath, he groaned when he tried to move his sides, he`d broke something, weather it was his dignity in not being in control of the situation of his ribs, dunno. but it hurt.

"Does that refresh your memory champ?" Joker snickered, "Hm, watch out for dropping birds."

"What?" Jason hissed in confusion at the remark as he pushed himself to his feet, the roof above his head opened and he hit the floor again when something landed on him, the floor opened under him and Jason tried to catch himself before he, and who he assumed was Robin and now Nightwing, before they even hit the floor the ground under Dick`s feet open and Jason grabbed Dick`s hand and Robin`s while Tim held on to the edge while Dick gasped at the vat below him, bubbling and hissing with hot steam they rose up.

"AGH!" Tim cried, he was supporting to grown men with one arm, sooner than last his arm was going to either rip from his socket or he`d dislocate it.

Dick looked up at him and swallowed, "Drop me."

Jason blinked he knew what Dick was asking he swung Dick to the side twice before they let go and he made it on the edge of the vat and jumped off of that part landing elsewhere. Jason looked up and reached for the top as Tim tried his best to help pull him up and not lose his own grip. Jason pulled himself up faster then the younger boy and grabbed the back of his cape and roughly pulled him up and they got to their feet, Tim looked exhausted.

"No time to slow down Golden boy." Jason said grabbing the boy`s shoulder and running down a few steps, Tim stumbled to keep up but he was out of breath and had probably been beaten around just like him, not to mention Dick who was probably just below them.

"What is this place?" Robin gasped as they ran around a corner.

"An abandoned hotel." Jason said.

"Hu?" Tim blinked almost tripping on himself, "how`d you know that?"

"This is the old theater motel, it`s been a crime house even before they shut it down, I came here a lot when I was on the streets as a kid, this is crime ally Robin." he said, "If I can remember there`s a stair case here!" Jason said as he shoved himself into a planks of painted wood over a door way.

BANG!

Jason stumbled back, and slumped against the wall, "Owch."

"RED!" Tim leaned down beside him and pulled off his hood, right then he was glad he had the eye mask for precaution, Tim`s face was flashing in and out of context, it was either the lights or his eyes, he had no idea witch ones though. "Oh god, Red speak to me."

Tim patted Jason`s cheek lightly as if to try and wake him, "I-I`m kay." he hissed and he grabbed Tim`s shoulder and the boy helped him to his feet. "Your bleeding."

JAson nodded and held a hand to his abdomen and looked a the blood on his hand, "That's what usually happens when you get shot."

Jason looked up at the door way and saw a shotgun placed close to it, probably for precaution if they tried to take the easy way out. figures. most of the bullet fragments had been caught in his suit, thank god for Kevlar, but some larger pieces had the momentum to get him. "I`ll be okay." he took a deep breath and walked back threw the door, no doubt there were more booby traps laid here, but they had to get to Nightwing, regrouping was the first thing they could do before they found the mad man and killed him.

Tim kept close following with out question but kept his eyes wary and open for more unseen traps, and gimmicks. He and Robin knocked a few out of place, along with another gun pointed at a door like above. they burst threw into a smaller darker hall way, the walls were slick and concrete telling him there would be no more make shift rooms they couldn't handle.

"Where`s Nightwing." Tim asked obviously worried as he looked around the hall, Jason headed the only way they really could, it was the way Nightwing would have gone the halls mimicked the ones down here and it wasn't hard to memorize any more if he paid attention. Joker was a real piece of work, pulling all of this together, getting them here, there had to be more though, Joker always had to end with a bang, figuratively or literally.

He pushed open a steel unlocked door.

"RED!" Jason blinked seeing Dick holding a man in a head lock, and pulling him to the floor before jumping up and away from the others reach. Dick handed next to them and the three instantly leapt apart as the group of me came closer to them. Their mouths were stretched wide and they held the small demented exasperation as the Joker, with out the make up and bleached skin. this was Joker toxin, the cynical laughing that came from each one was most like a cry for help.

"We need to regroup." Tim yelled from the middle of the room and he swung from a hanging light to get an extra boost in a face kick.

"we need to kill Joker that's what we need!" Jason spat punching the closest man in the gut and then grabbing him and throwing him over his should to stop another few right next to him. They were losing and running around and no matter what they did Joker had them on a leash, they were all trapped in this hell hole and there was not way out, Joker probably had some type of idea if they mad it out.

"AGH!" Nightwing hissed punching another man away with an uninjured hand, "We have to leave! Batman can help us."

Jason growled and jumped up shoved bother feet into the mans chest and flipping back to land beside the others once more, "Fine." he forced out of his pinched lips.

They held back the men who were losing their fight in them, the gas would wear off but if they didn't get medical attention once they collapsed they could end up dying, who these people were didn't matter, they really couldn't take the chance that they might be regular men in the world or street rats that got in over their heads working for Joker.

Tim slipped between his older brothers and reached for the door only for it to slam shut and lock automatically.

"NO!" they yelled in unison. the other men in the room slowly stopped fighting and fell to the floor, eyes rolled to the back of their heads. Jason`s fist hit the door, "I will not be trapped in this hell hole, not again, not again!" his yelled. Joker`s laugh was the only thing they could hear on the intercom, louder then anywhere else, the sounds bounced and jumped around the room like an echo. same as the Bat cave.

"Ha, having fun kiddies?" Joker giggled darkly his voice hitting even harder on their ears as Jason stepped aside and let Dick try and pick the door. with a small nail that he had pulled from the wall.

"Hello, am I alone here, answer me when daddy talks to you boys!" Joker howled into the com making them cover their ears and gasp at the volume. "Okay, I`ll take that as a yes, listen kido`s I was thinking why don't you just come and find me? Hm, try it, my hands are tied, well not literally, don't want to give any advantages now, but come on. I`m waiting," Joker said, "are you scared? is it true that you kids are really brats in tights with out your bat dad, hell maybe I should have gone after the girl she might have been more fun that you three!" Dick lose concentration at that and the nail broke in his hands, Joker continued not noticing the slip up Dick made, "does Daddy still tell you how scary it is out there? Hmmm? under all that macho grandee act you three are still helpless, (sigh) maybe I should just go get my crowbar and we can hope for round to, because if you cant beat me then how can you even help yourself? All of you just get in the way of me and Bats fun. How many times do I have to kill you bird boys to get the point across, how many people and going to die before you give up?"

Jason, Tim and Dick shared looks, confessed ones, was this mad man saying the only reason he was killed, the only reason everyone was killed more and more over the years was because of the Robin legacy and the weird fascination he had with Batman? it made a bit of sense and guilt seep into them, what Joker said, they couldn't beat him, could they? Not with out Bruce, the man probably the same amount of crazy as Joker knew this man, and how, because he couldn't get under his skin when he got threw theirs.

"Hey, don't leave me sitting here all night, do something I`m getting bored." Joker sighed, "Come on birdy boy, first is the worst, second is the best, third is the one with the treasure chest doesn't apply here, or was it hairy chest?" Joker smiled challenging Tim to do something. Jason opened his mouth to tell the clown off but Tim placed a hand on his upper arm, "I think I know where Joker is."

"How?" Dick and Jason asked in the same uncertain tone, Tim looked around, "His voice is bouncing here, more then usually, the sound is traveling threw the walls somewhere."

"Hm, boring, how about this if you cant find me in the next five, no four minutes then I fill the room with gas and you three fight to the death, just remember, bats are to the left and crowbars to the right." Joker snickered cutting off.

Tim and the others instantly started to searched the walls running their finger threw the walls, splinters and forming blisters were already forming on their palms from every thing but it didn't stop them from looking for an escape, Jason got close enough to Dick to see the older boy was counting down keeping track.

Apparently that was over-rated now a days, The man man`s voice sounded back on the inter com, "3:00, 2:59, Hmm 10 ,9 8," the joker said a smile clearly on his face. Suddenly Robin jumped up and grabbed the dangling light and pulled his feet up hitting the ceiling as hard as he could, "Up!" he hissed, just as he did green smoke entered the room and Jason got down on one knee as Dick jumped off his back and flipped in the tight space pushing against the ceiling and breaking it a bit.

Joker`s laugh only grew to an insane level as his brought his foot on Dick`s fingers, Dick instantly stumbled back and crashed on top of him making it easier to breath in the green gas. Jason giggled a small laugh as he pushed himself up and bit his bottom lip not holding back the growing smile on his face, "ha ha ha." he smiled, Tim hung from the ceiling and ripped away a large chuck of wood as Dick sat on his knees holding a hand over his own mouth and laughing like a child.

"Hurry, hehe, up." Jason laughed pushing Dick away forcefully as he stood up laughing uncontrollably, Dick wrapped his arms around his legs, tripping him and then the older boy sat on top and punching him laughing, "hurry! haha" Dick cried out in an amused gasp. the smoke was turning them on each other and making them act like idiots while they killed each other.

Jason lunged up and wrapped his hands around Dick`s neck, he fought to loosen his grip as much as he could as Dick grabbed his neck with one hand and dug his fingers into his side pressing on his bullet wounds, Jason pulled him into a head but and let go of his neck punching him twice in the face before Dick grabbed his hand and twisted it with a small crack. the only noises that came form them were the sounds of laugher.

Jason pulled up his legs and flipped Dick over but they broke apart and were on their feet and Jason kicked out hitting Dick in the chest and then spun back around catching him in the jaw. Dick flipped over him and spun him around and threw him into the wall shoving his elbow into Jason`s shoulder, Jason flipped over and shoved both elbows into Dick`s sides to hard and ended up hitting the wall too.

Jason laughed as Tim ran at him. he flipped over him and when he turned around the teen jumped up and punched him and threw a kick into his side, Jason chuckled and grabbed the teens raised leg and pulled him loser punching him in the face and spinning the younger boy around and putting him in a head lock chocking him out. Dick ran over to them and jumped over and his feet collided with Jason`s face and after Dick shoved his Knee into his jaw and Jason dug his fingers into the older boys side Dick wall being pulled up, Jason instantly jumped up after him smiling.

Once he was out of the green smoke his head started to clear eve if just a little to see Joker smiling and leaning against the computer whipping a bit of blood from his lower lip, Tim must have gotten to him first and gotten a few good punches in. Jason instantly felt heat rise in his chest as he lunged forward and wrapped his hands around Joker`s throat, the man giggled and laughed and pulled a bat from behind the computer and hit him in the face. Jason stumbled back and Dick instantly took his place in front of Joker beating his face in. Tim pushed Jason to his feet and Jason kicked the mad man in his second wind.

The laughing Joker kept doing was only fueling their hate and anger and they threw punch after punch after punch.

Tim grabbed the collar of his shirt and Jason and him helped Pulled the man threw the connecting door and out of the building, "I win." Joker laughed every few seconds. Dick placed a foot on his chest and grabbed the man`s jaws and leaned in close, "How, How do you think you`ve won." he hissed not caring about the blood dripping from his mouth and lower lip.

Joker burst out laughing hysterically, Jason rolled his eyes and clenched his teeth kicking the man in the face, "were not done."

"Oh goodie more fun." Joker smiled, "Just remember, green and purple go great together only if you have the make up to go with it." he laughed over his lungs and Tim dropped him, "What do you mean?"

"Your more like me then you`ve even realized, I broke you in two and molded you into something like well...ME!" Joker burst out laughing and Jason picked the man up and threw him against the wall, and shook him, "We are NOTHING like YOU!" Jason yelled.

Jason punched Joker between the eyes and the man was out cold, it was only then that each of them got the chance to look at their red bloodied hands. Jason his hands threw his hair and didn't hesitate to pull Joker out of the building as Dick and Tim helped each other out, each of Jokers words seeping in deep.

**A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, I`ve had this head ack for a few days and all I`ve been wanting to do is sleep after school, back to the old updating thought :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**"I`m** going to do what I should have done in person and hot rely on hope that a bomb with kill this sick fucker!" Jason cried out dragging Joker, who hadn't stayed unconscious for long and was kicking and chocking and laughing, as Jason dragged him by the collar of his green and purple suit out the door and into the side walk. His own anger push back his fuzzy mind from the Joker gas that was putting a strain on every single one of them.

"Re-Red." Tim said stumbling after him and grabbing what was left of the fabric on his shoulder in a tight fist, "Please, this is what he wants, don't be like him please."

Jason shrugged him off and Tim tripped over himself but didn't fall and amazingly kept a steady pace with him. Jason didn't bother to even look at Tim he was to angry to upset, to livid that everything he saw was red despite his left eye was swollen, "Then fine, let the man have his damned way. If it means hundreds will live and I can sleep at night then so be it!"

"aw, you think about me at night, am I good pillow talk with that one crazy red guy, is he your wing man at the club, do you still even own one?" Joker giggled threw choked breaths his collar pressing on his neck.

"Shut up." Jason snapped, the last person he wanted this man to think about was Roy or Kori, they had their fair share of shit in their lives, no matter how secret most of it was or if one another never really grasped the concept of what was being told, the point was Joker want going to touch them, or any one else for that matter, not after tonight.

"No, listen to me!" Tim cried a begging tone seeped into his voice, the pleading of Tim seemed to only anger him even more and he dropped Joker and brought his fist around and pushed Tim in the face, the teen fell back and landed on the side walk holding his chin in pain.

Jason pointed a finger at him, "Now listen here, just because you think we have some special brotherly bond, I`ll listen to anything you say, that I`ll care what you actually think about what I do, what I am! I don't care what you think and I never will, your just some kid that's in over his head with this gig, we have nothing between us, not blood, not bond not anything, I have more of a damned connection with my helmet then I do you and I don't need some punk ass kid telling what to do, so fuck off!"

Tim gaped at him and Jason turned around remembering Dick was still here to, "The same goes to you, I don't even know why I came here, to settle shit? Maybe to say that things are different now times change," Jason blinked narrowing his eyes, "But they don't, I see that now."

"This is even sweeter then- ACK!" Joker tried to talk but Jason pressed his foot to the man`s bleached colored throat, "I said shut up!"

"Stop it!" Dick yelled, he grabbed his wrist, and pain shot threw his hand and Jason ripped his hand away but Dick continued, "leave this for us to handle Jay, your to connected, this isn't your fight anymore, because if you kill Joker, I will shove your ass in Arkham!" he hissed. Jason laughed, his head held high, Jason leaned in till he was mere meters from Dick`s face, "FINE." he smiled.

He leaned down and picked up Joker and grabbed the front of his shirt, "Ready to pay for all the hit you`ve caused?"

Joker giggled, "How could I not be."

Jason smiled, "your going to wish you were dead after this," A car was driving by and Jason threw the man in front of it making him get clipped, being Gotham the car didn't stop nor slow down and Joker got back up laughing and stumbling to the ally across the street, Jason followed quickly kicking the man in the gut as hard as he could to drive the laughter from his mind, it was driving him insane to say the least.

"NO!" Tim hissed wrapping his arms around Jason`s neck and squeezing him, Jason threw the kid over his shoulder and kicked Dick who ran up behind him, as Dick stumbled back and Tim jumped at him again Jason grabbed the kid`s waist and threw him back over his head and at Dick, he wasn't in this for grace, he was in this the get as many blows he could on the Joker before the gas that was making him feel light headed went to his head.

He grabbed the back of Joker`s shirt and threw him onto his back on the floor and repeatedly kicked him, Jason picked up a trash can and threw it at Nightwing and Robin who got up and ran at him, usually it would have been easy to jump the trash can but they were feeling the same dizziness from the gas as well. he Wasn't going to pass out till Joker was dead, Jason straddled Joker and landed blow after blow on the man`s face. Dick crashed into him and smashed JAson`s head against the pavement.

"Why are you fighting me!" he hissed, "Joker`s the criminal, he`s the reason for so many deaths, think about Batgirl, what happened to her!"

Dick punched his Jason`s chest weakly, "I know, I know, but I`m not letting you do this, your now like this Jay, your different, don't stoop to his level, please! I don't want to see you break, this will drive you insane, killing him will take away that small piece of my brother I still have! Don't do it! Leave him here!"

Jason felt so tempted to do so, so angry, so rattled that nothing could really calm him right now, **"No."** Jason flipped him and Dick over so he was on top and smashed the older boys head into the ground while Dick threw up a punch the caught him in his jaw line. He didn't waist time with Nightwing and staggered back to Joker who was cracking up at the scene or his own diluted thoughts. It didn't matter to him.

He sent another kick to Joker`s side feeling the snap of a bone before he felt it in another sharp kick to the man`s side. Nothing was going to stop him, nothing.

Tim ran over to him and took a stumbling flip and kicked him in his shoulder and side pushing him away. Jason punched the kid in the chest and Tim took his arm and swung him around folding it behind his back, Jason sent a sharp jab into Tim`s side with a bruised elbow the sent the teen reeling back and falling on top of A bloodied and bruised Joker, who only let out harsh breathed giggles every now and then, it was almost done.

Tim wasn't going to try and reason with him, smart kid, if it was what he said earlier then to bad the kid had to grow a pair and learn his place, and apparently that was six feet under, that's where the Robin legacy lived, because it didn't live it brought death and misery and the moment you said yes to it you signed your death like a deal with the devil.

Jason grabbed the front of Tim`s shirt and punched him a few times in the face just to seal the fact the kid was to in a daze to really do much more. By the Time he dropped Tim next to Nightwing he was finding it hard to stay on his own feet much less walk the last few steps over to Joker`s body. He fell half way their but someone caught him, and Jason didn't really care who as he grabbed a hand full of the warm fabric they fell to their knees and someone wrapped their arms around him tightly. Memories.

XXXXX

Jason`s eyes slowly peeled themselves open and blinked at least four times to realize he was actually alive. everything hurt, what was left of his own blood felt lick acid in his veins and every mussel of his felt like led as he moved he arm he pulled out a small tube from it and pushed himself up, the soft facric under him told him one thing, this was his old bed. In Wayne manor.

He pulled the blankets off his legs and ran his hands over his head, even the smallest actions aggravating his head ack. He was dressed in nothing but black boxers so someone, Alfred assuming could stich the glass cuts around his upper legs, his waist to the bottom of his chest was bandaged along with a thick wrapping over his head that wasn't their for anything but to keep pressure on his head ack.

Jason slowly moved his legs over to the side of the bed and took a minute to collect his thoughts of the other night before, most of it after they left hotel hell was a blur and came back and in pieces. he pushed himself to his feet and stumbled over to the window leaning on it and resting his forehead on the glass. he needed air, real air, not some hot stuffy room that would make him want to chock on his own blood.

His hand rested on the knob to the large window and twisted it, it didn't turn, locked, now that he actually looked a bolt was on the top and the bottom of each of the windows, was Bruce trying to trap him here. the same heat rose in his chest and he shoved his elbow in the glass cracking the think glass. Bruises already covered both elbows from hitting the wall the other night. He wasn't being trapped again, no not any more!

"Jason!" He didn't have to look to know it was Alfred who ran other to him and grabbed his upper arm and tried to pull him back over to the bed, "You should not be out of bed."

"NO!" Jason hissed throwing the older man off of him easily, Alfred knew he could and would over power him and didn't stop him from running, or more like falling out into the hallway not waiting for the window to break. He fell against a side table a Ming vase falling over and shattering on the floor as he slumped against to wall pushing the table aside and running his hands in a claw like motion threw his black hair.

"Jason, my boy, its all right." Alfred said walking over to him and kneeling down in front of him and pulling his hands away from his head. Jason icy blue glare pierced the old man`s soul, "Why am I locked in the room ,why are the windows locked." he hissed so venomously it was hard to believe this was still the same boy he had helped raise.

"For you and your brothers protection, from yourselves, you and master Richard would have run off back to where you feel safest and would refuse any medical attention needed, if I must say," Alfred said, "You boys make a habit of running off at ill moments."

Jason blinked feeling the heat in his chest dying down, this was Alfred, he was and always would be right. "O-Okay." he blinked looking down only to snap his head back up his eyes hopeful, "Is the Joker..."

"No." Alfred said sternly the hopeful gaze about a man`s death, even the Joker`s hurting him even more then any glare that boy could have given out, "Joker was returned to Arkham asylum."

Jason closed his eyes slowly taking a deep slow breath in threw his nose as Alfred stood up and grabbed his upper arm and helped him up, "Come along, lets get you dressed."

"I think I can do that myself Alfi." Jason smirked rolling his eyes, Alfred made a disbelieving noise, "_Phish posh_, I`ll pick something out for you, your suit isn't done being fixed and I don't want to see you wearing it in this house till it`s in suitable conditions."

"Yeah, yeah," he said looking away as he walked back into the room and Alfred threw him a shirt and a pair of jeans, the boots to his suit were by the restroom door leading to his room, and he quickly got dressed and walked back out seeing Alfred was thankfully gone. probably to clean the vase.

"Bruce? Alfred, hello." Jason blinked frowning at the sound of the front door and the sudden bark of Ace as he ran past his door in a flash to get to the person at the door who gasped making it clear Ace was jumping up on someone with every bit of weight he had on him. "Ace." Jason called as he walked out of the door, the dog spun around and ran over to him and tried to jump up on him throwing his paws out and hitting him in the chest, Jason coughed once before deciding it was best to push the beast away instead of trying to et the large dog off Barbara who was walking over to him in a hurt.

Jason only took one step towards her before she slapped him across the face, "Ow!" he winched, he glared at her, "What the _**hell**_ was that for!?"

Barbara`s eyes watered but she kept the furious glare on her face as she rushed to hug him, Jason only sighed, girls, he would never understand them. he hugged her back quickly before she pulled away and looked like she was thinking on slapping him again, "You," she said pressing a finger on his chest painfully, "and your idiot brothers are going to get yourselves killed, _dumb asses_, that's what you are! Walking straight into that hell hole, do- do you three even think what others feel if you die, **again** in your case!? of course not, because your ego`s are the things controlling everything you three do, like, **not calling BRUCE!** or Me. OR anyone. fucking dumb asses! And **You**!" she hissed narrowing her eyes, "Your going to apologize to Tim, right now."

Jason chuckled, "Your serious?"

"Yes." she forced threw clenched teeth, Jason folded his arms over his chest, "No, What I said, I meant, the Kid`s got to know that what I don't, doesn't concern him, the kid`s got to learn that and the only way was to tell him, let him grow up Barbie."

Barbara narrowed her eyes, "That's not your call Jason, he`s fifteen years old and in my opinion the longer he`s a kid the better, and trust me there are better ways to break someone down, much better ways, he`s been trying to talk with you Jason, he wants that friend ship you and dick had when you were Robin, can you blame him?"

"Yes, I can, the world is cruel and unforgiving, you of all people should know that, the soon he realized that the better." Jason spat.

"I thought you were making amends, at least that's What Donna told me." She hissed, Jason shrugged, "I was wrong to think that could work, the moment I let my guard down we get trapped in some nut house."

Barbara blinked and frowned sadly her angry expression dropping to his surprise, "Jason, you didn't let your guard down, you just think you did, but no one died, not yet, I understand what the Joker does he plays with your minds and scrambles them, please don't go back to the way things were before, we, I just got you back and your so close to the Jason Todd I knew that for the first time since you`ve been back I`m not afraid of what you`ll do, Joker didn't win, despite what he`s got you three to think, but if you let him control your actions again, Jason Todd might as well still be buried in the cemetery." she took a step closer to him and placed a hand on the side on his face and looked up at him, "You have a family Jay, two brothers who just want to be there for you and me who wishes you`d take your head out of your ass for a few seconds, Alfred and Bruce, two people the craziest people for believing in us, but together we are this make shift family and that's never going to change, so you can turn you can walk out the door now," she said blinking brown eyes up at him, "Or you can turn around."

Jason blinked in confusion and turned around not even glancing at the door, he didn't get the chance to even see who was behind him before someone hugged onto him tightly, "I`m sorry, I`m so, so, so sorry, your right I`m wrong I`m a childish idiot who allowed myself to be captured and taken, but please, don't leave us, not now." Tim gasped holding onto him tightly. Jason frowned and wrapped his arms around Tim, "Your not wrong Golden boy, cheer up. I`m not leaving, Alfred wont let me."

"Hmp." Alfred rolled his eyes at the terrible apology the older boy was making but Tim was smart, he could hear it behind the terrible amusement, even if no one else could.

Tim let go of him and blinked blue eyed, "No Jason your right, I shouldn't try and control you, and you should never control me," he added in warning which made Jason smirk, "but remember this, if you ever try and do that again, even if its the Joker I`ll help Dick arrest you. Hell I`ll swallow the damn key. Justified action or not, it`s not your call."

"What ever," Jason said icily, "Lets get off the subject, it`s boring me, the clown knows if I see his pasty white face I`ll shot it down."

Tim and Jason stared at each other a small challenge in their eyes before Jason ruffled the kids hair with a small smile, "hey, you know where Bruce is?"

Barbara walked around to stand beside them, "Where else would he be?"

"_Cave_." the three said in unison, Jason nodded to Tim and Barbara who walked off into the kitchen with Alfred, he could just hear the sounds of their voices saying something about Dick being in the kitchen eating all of Alfred`s cookies before he walked into the study and pulled on the clock, opening it to the elevator to the cave. This was it.

Time to talk to Bruce.

**A/N: EE! I`m excited to right the Bat and Jason talk**


	23. Chapter 23

Jason`s feet on the hard stone steps were the heaviest he had ever walked in the cave. Finally he wanted to be here, at least, maybe a little. The dark seemed to sneak in around him as he walked but he ignored it, he was used to the shadows and the tricks they played here.

He blinked, seeing the large chair facing the computer like always, the only thing moving were Bruce`s eye as he read the screen. Jason didn't even try nor care what he was reading, he wanted this over with, fast. IT was a good thing he didn't have his gun or he might actually try and use it.

"Jason..." Bruce said quietly before spinning around in the chair and standing up.

Jason nodded and ran a hand threw his hair before locking eyes with the man he had once thought of as a second father, a mentor, a hero, now what did he think? "We need to talk." he explained and in was impossible to hide how much it took for him to force those words out. Bruce nodded, "Yes we do, first about Joker-," Jason let out an irritated sign but let Bruce speak, "what happened with Joker, no one is to blame but that man."

Jason crossed his arms over his chest and the corners of his mouth were bother fighting to either drop or curve in a smile or frown, "Yet you still disapprove, fine, but that's why your wrong, you see Gotham, not my problem anymore, bit the Joker should die and I`m not going to be an idiot and blatantly hunt him down, I don't need to, I want you to see what this man does to your city and only when I run into him face to face at my own accord will I kill that man, I just hope your still alive to see your city in ashes at his hands when it happens."

Bruce frowned blinking once, "why did you come here Jason, I know it wasn't because Tim asked, or you wanted to see Alfred or Ace, did you come just to tell me that?"

Jason let out an irritated breath threw his nose, "I came because of that stupid video you left in Virginia, how is this supposed to help anyone, to much "Family" is bad for the soul, so I`ve heard, why didn't you just talk to me when I was at the watch tower, perfect chance then, yet you barley even looked at me."

Bruce sighed, "I left that video because I wanted you to know I`m not going to let what happened to you slow me down, harsh? Yes, but your alive and this war between us, it`s over Jason, you were a mess back on the tower just because you were trapped with people who you knew when you were younger, it wasn't my place to make any type of contact, I was waiting until **you** were ready."

Jason narrowed his eyes, a crease forming between his eyebrows, "Well I`m here now, what do you want me to say Bruce?" he asked seriously, "You want me to visit every week, eat Alfred`s pancakes and cookies and beat up bad guys together, because you had a chance, I told you, begged you to kill the Joker and you still chose his life over mine, I was prepared to die there, and you were prepared to let me go over killing him, I was prepare to mend shit."

"Then why do you still sound like my enemy?" Bruce snapped back, "Why don't you sound like your even trying?"

Jason chuckled coldly, making his eyes burn holes in Bruce`s own before spoke, "Our 'relationship' was never perfect Bruce, it was cold and distant, at times- at times I would have thought you as a father, some one I looked up to but no, I`m mending shit my way and that way is you stay out of my way and I`ll stay out of yours, no unnecessary goodbyes no hugs, nothing like that."

"So, what your saying is you came for a truce." Bruce frowned, almost disappointed for reasons he couldn't comprehend. Jason nodded and took a deep breath, "Yes."

Bruce and Jason gave each other long looks. Jason blinked, even though this wasn't the what he thought how things would go down between him and Bruce it was the best he could hope for. Bruce held out his hand and Jason shook it, willingly. Looking back it was hard to see how far things seemed to be from years, or even days ago.

XXXXXXXX

Jason sat at the counter in the empty kitchen holding a cold glass of whiskey he managed to find somewhere around here, Alfred mainly used this stuff for wound and wounds only so no one would end up drunk or ruining his nice clean floors the next day, but his head still hurt and this helped, a lot. the silence wasn't bad anymore, not like it used to be, weather it was the annoying pain in the his sides or the whiskey that blurred a little bit of that after the fifth glass it didn't matter, the alone time felt good right about now.

the sound of footsteps made fear rise in his stomach if Alfred found him but the thumping of Ace`s tail, where the dog laid near the kitchen`s back door told him it wasn't the old man. It was Tim dressed in civilian clothes without those annoying shaded glasses, he would have looked stupid since it was raining outside but the kid had more smarts then that.

"Hey." Tim sighed sitting down opposite of him, Jason nodded to acknowledge the teen before putting the glass to his lips and taking a sip of the drink that was starting to get warmer.

"Bruce called your friends, ran into them yesterday while on patrol." Tim said getting up and decided to go to the fridge and grab a coke before siting down where he was a moment ago. Jason took another sip of his own drink, "that's great, maybe now I can finally leave." he sighed. Tim smirked, "probably not, remember Bruce feels us, me, you and Dick, emotionally unstable and is benching us till Thursday."

Jason snickered pulling over the bottle of whiskey and pouring it into the empty cup again, "Does he really think he can still 'bench' me?"

"Alfred`s still fixing your suit, plus I`m breaking Bruce`s rule tonight anyway, I`m going back to get my stuff from the hotel." Tim said calmly taking a small chug of his coke, Jason raised and eye brow, "Does Alfred think I need my suit to leave?"

Tim shrugged, "No I think his pretty clear on that, I thinks he`s just hoping you`ll stay."

"If Alfred wants me to I will, but I`m not going to be locked up like some lunatic," Jason stood up and walked around the table ruffing Tim`s hair as he passed to leave.

"Where are you going?" Tim called after him, Jason sighed, "Out."

XXXXXXXX

Even though Tim said he`d be back for the there things, he wasn't comfortable just sitting around, so he went back to the hotel, it really was a maze in there but he managed to find his way back to the top of the stairwell and find his hood, he sighed brushing off imaginary dirt and trying to clear the scratches on it. he put it on and took a deep breath. he coughed at the familiar scent burning the back of his throat, this thing still smelled like Joker gas. it wasn't enough to make him feel concerned, this place was bound to have more of that stuff around.

He walked down the halls, he didn't even notice he wasn't making a sound not even as his feet touched the ground, he managed to find the control room Joker had been using and found a box labeled: Toys. and he knelt down and rummaged threw it finding his and Nightwing`s things but Tim`s stuff wasn't here, the only thing the even suggested his things were ever here was the bird a rang at the bottom.

Jason blinked and held the berretta in his hands, it was loaded, Jason blinked looking to the side and seeing a panel, like the others it wasn't covered in that dusty look, he shifted to sit in front of it and pulled it out and found most of Tim`s stuff but he belt was missing. Jason pressed his lips together and sat for a moment, some was watching him. he could feel it.

Maybe it was Harley Quinn, the Joker`s girl, but last he had heard Harley was still in Arkham working on her chance to leave free, or so they said, besides even if she was out why would she come here, because this is where her boyfriend was beat up? Unlikely. Suddenly the vent above him creaked and crashed down on top of him. he fell hard against the floor. Someone who was obviously hiding up there ran out of the door, something similar for what he was looking for in hand, Robin`s belt. Jason grabbed his gun and ran after the man threw the halls.

The man stopped and spin around as he ran up to the man and tried to kick him in the face, Jason took a step back and instantly slammed his foot down on the man`s cape, the man stumbled towards him and Jason elbowed him in the shoulder as he swung his foot under his legs, the man hit the ground and Jason kneeled down pointing the gun to the man`s masked face and wide eyes hidden behind white optic lenses. He pulled the belt from the man`s hand with out looking away.

"What are you doing here? Better yet, who the hell are you?" Jason growled, he`d never seen this person before. It was obvious this guy was new at this, labored breath, shacking terribly, this guy was terrified. He knew if he didn't give answers that he was going to shot him.

"What-," the person said, the person`s voice almost made him jump out of his skin in surprise, "What d-did you do to R-Robin."

"Your a girl?" He asked pulling her up and shoving her against the wall, he motioned for her mask but the girl denied, she wasn't going to give her ID up.

Jason sighed and rolled his eyes, he lowered the gun but didn't put it up, "your one of those new young Justice boy scouts arnt you."

She shook her head quickly, but her voice was firm, at least she was trying to be strong, "No, Robin`s a...friend, what did you do to him, there`s blood and this place it look like a nightmare, did you kill him, are you going to kill-"

"Shut up," Jason growled, "if your such good friends then why steal this?" he question holding up the belt, she lunged for it but he pushed her back against the wall holding the gun to her forehead again, "ah ah, answer the question."

"I was tracking him Okay!" she hissed bravely, "I`m not the best at this, but I hold my own, he offered to help me if I helped him with the Black mask case, but he`s been gone for three days and I traced him down here."

Jason snorted in disbelief, "Robin`s not an idiot why would he bring you somewhere you might die."

The girl rubbed her upper arm, "He said he wanted to know if I was serious about this," she looked up at him, "and I am, he said he`d teach me a few things and as you can see I need anything I can get."

"Clearly," he hissed, "You suck."

He could almost picture a glare behind her mask but he shrugged and pocketed his gun, "Fine," he hissed, "the kid`s fine, I`m not the artist behind this display here, it was Joker, kid`s fine though, so happy?"

The girl seemed to relax a lot more now that the gun was out of sight and seemed to be a hole different person. "a little."

"Great, what`s your name?" He asked, she placed her hands on her hips and he sighed, "You name, what can I call you, what does golden boy call you?"

"Oh," she said pulling her hood over her head, "Um, spoiler, I`m Spoiler."

**A/N: I`ve been reading a lot about Stephanie Brown and she`s now one of my favorite characters so I decided why not put her in the mix to ^^V, all and all this chapter did not turn out how I wanted it to, sigh, :(**


	24. Chapter 24

Jason put the bike back in the garage where Bruce kept most to all his fancy car`s, most were just for show but still he locked up and made his way back to the mansion. He took off his hood and jacket even though it was pour just to cover his hood, never knew what type of stalkers were watching, he took his time walking to the door and up the steps that his hair was dripping by the time he opened the door and threw his things on the side table.

Before he could close the door he was shoved out and instantly off the ground and someone grabbed his hand rising high over the manor. Jason laughed, "Whoa!" he looked up at Kori who held onto one hand smiling widely, "Hey Kori."

"Jason!" She laughed happily, "I`m so happy you are not gone, when you did not contact me and Roy we became worried and when we called you there was no answer, we came here and your very creepy father found us and since you`ve told us your story he let us come and see you-,"

"Kori?" Jason asked looking down at the manor that was becoming small, "I missed you to but um can we finish this on the ground, I cant feet anything under me."

"Oh!" Kori blinked, they lowered and Jason let go of her hand a few feet from the ground and landed on his feet as Kori floated down beside him holding her upper arm with one hand. "I apologize, You and Roy are the closest things to friends I have had in a long time, I don't not know what I would do without you two."

Jason smiled warmly and gave her a one armed hug, "We`ll I`m glad to tell you you`ll never have to know the answer to that question Kori, come on it`s pouring out here, and Alfred will kill me if I ruin the carpet." He draped his arm around her shoulders as they made their way back into the house where Roy and Dick, and an excited Ace who was going nuts with energy at the sight of two new people to meet.

Roy pushed Jason in the shoulder lightly, "dumb ass." he scorned, Jason shrugged and instantly frown when he felt Kori looked away, he frowned at Dick who was frowning at her sadly, he caught Jason`s glare and scratched the back of his head, "Um, I guess I`ll go do this." he said gesturing to the door leading to the living room and then the kitchen, Dick left quickly and Starfire seemed fine and more at ease. sharing a confused look with Roy who was instantly pushed aside by Ace trying to get attention.

What ever happened between the two was a mystery, another thing Kori didn't want to share.

Jason sighed, as Tim walked up to them, "Hey, Guys this is Robin, or Tim."

Tim nodded in acknowledgement and Jason gestured for him to step away. They didn't walk far only to the door where Jason pulled the things from his Jacket, his, Nightwing`s and Tim`s things. He handed Tim his stuff and Tim blinked, "I was actually just going to get these."

"Well I needed air and besides it`s best I did because someone was making off with your crap, hoping to track you down." Jason told him, Tim narrowed his eyes and began checking his things with a tracer or any missing equipment. He had check already everything that needed to be there was there.

"Who was it?" Tim asked.

Jason smirked, "Spoiler, your height kind of, purple and black, fighting could use some work, but she said you were in cahoots?"

Tim sighed and nodded, "Yeah, s-she`s fine, reckless but fine, god I totally spaced her out of my mind I have to go now, tell Bruce or who ever if they ask I`ll be home by dinner time." he called Tim ran off towards his room probably going to go get changed. Jason rolled his eyes and Walked back over to Roy and Kori who were waiting, "Okay so," Roy said a little lower, "We`ve been checking crap out and this city is going nuts on death and other crap, so while were here we should try and do some stuff, and I don't mean the chili dogs here."

Jason smirked, "what`d you have in mind?"

Roy and Kori gave each other a quick look and looked back to him, "there`s and up rising in your older territory, a few people are coming out in the open like the big badis."

"great so we put them back, not a problem." Jason smiled darkly his blue eyes flashing, Roy frowned folding his arms over his chest with unease, "Trust me, your not going to want to see this."

Jason raised and eyebrow and looked over to Kori who seemed a little disgusted in her thoughts, "What?" he growled.

XXXXXX

"Okay, now that's disturbing." Jason hissed shifting his foot under the mans body and rolling him over in his chest to hide the fact he had no face left. The house was normally what you`d see in Gotham, cheap and totally not worth it, things and papers were scattered everywhere Kori was crouched on one knee holding what looked like a Halloween mask, fake pale skin and wave red curls on the top to signify hair.

"Hey Jay, catch." Roy snickered as the red head threw a piece of skin of to him, Jason fumbled with it, thankfully he had gloves on, he examined the skin closely, "you see what I see?"

Roy nodded leaning against the wall, he made a few hand gesture here and there as he talked, "Yep, right around the edges, it`s cut clean, except one side, and jagged and-,"

"Bitten." Jason`s face contorted in disgust, "Someone at this guys face."

"No joke." Roy said, Kori tilted her head, "How would this be confused as a joke?"

Jason threw the skin over his shoulder and grabbed the mask Kori handed to him, "You`d be surprised who would make it one."

"Is this person that did this refers this to a joke?" Kori asked frowning at the body. Roy was the one who answered as Jason looked over the mask, it was...familiar, but he couldn't place it.

"This is one crazy town Kori, you`ll learn to except the unexpected." Roy snickered, the archer turned around and started going threw files and assorted documents in the man`s desk to give them some type of clue as to what was going on.

"That's it," Jason said throwing down the mask after thinking to himself for at least five minuets. Roy and Kori looked over threw shoulders at him, "I`ve read threw the bat computers files more than a few times as Robin and I know that mask, it-"

"Belongs to Professor Pym." Jason growled inwardly to himself as Nightwing leaned against the doorframe, "hi."

"Fuck off Grayson this isn't your problem." Roy hissed Dick rolled his eyes, "On the contrary, this is my city, besides I`ve been following this link for a week, you just started."

"Yet we have more information then you, what does that say?" Jason asked wishing he had seen where that piece of skin had gone so his could flick it at he annoying prat.

"I doubt that," Nightwing sighed, Jason saw the man cast another glance at Kori, and their team-mate looked away from the circus freak with unease. Jason instantly walked over to Dick and pushed him roughly out the door, he grabbed the front of Dick`s suit and led him down the stairs and suddenly once they were out of ear shot did he slam him up against the wall. "What the hell are you playing at Dick."

Nightwing narrowed his eyes, "Wha-"

"Don't play dumb, what's going on, or more like what went on between you and Kori." he hissed Dick looked away, "It`s complicated."

"IT`s over." Jason spat, "Leave Kori along, you look like some creep looking at her like that, I don't appreciate you messing with my team."

"Your team?" Dick asked pushing Jason away, "you mean the angry band of misfits? that is not a team, that's a gang, you three are completely unstable, especially Kori, you have no idea what she`s capable of."

Jason snorted air threw his nose, "Sure, and you the most reliable person in the world, if you think I even care about what you think about us then your heads further up your ass then I thought, fuck off and leave me and my team alone." he snapped. Dick chuckled coldly, "I`m not one of you team-mates Jay just because you say something doesn't mean I`m going to roll over and-," Jason grabbed Dick and threw him against the wall and took out his knife holding it and himself pressed up to Nightwing to hold the annoying snob their.

"Just because I don't have to kill you does not mean I wont, what I said about us being nothing to each other, I meant that, so I will regret nothing by cutting you god-damn head off and sending it to Bruce in the mail! if you think of us as a gang, we`ll fight like one Dick. your funeral."

Dick smirked shifting a little against the wall, "Please, you cant even hold a grudge against Tim, how can you even think of killing me."

Jason narrowed his eyes and pressed the blade harder against the man`s neck drawing blood, "Tim is not you, besides if you need visual prof that I couldn't give a shit what happens to him now I`d be happy to."

"Your an ass Jason!" Dick spat, Jason smirked, "Haters gonna hate, run along Dickie bird you boy band calls." Jason stepped back and dropped Dick who looked away rubbing the back of his neck, Jason put the knife away and the second he did Dick tackled him and they crashed threw the already weak walls of the building into another room, Dick and Jason rolled on the ground for a moment but he was about to get top and Punched Dick in the face twice before Dick quickly wrapped his legs around him and pulled him to the ground the circus freak instantly gaining top, Dick threw a punch but Jason caught it, "Just like sparring right?" he hissed.

"just like old times, still a little-," Jason kneed Dick in the groin and threw him off the man landed on his feet and Jason pulled out his knife and slashed at the acrobat. Dick Jumped up as Jason stabbed out and the man flipped back throwing a few smoke pellets, Jason chuckled, "You are not hide Dick!"

Jason leapt at Dick and grabbed him around the waist, they crashed threw the window they fell down and landed on a parked car denting it badly, Jason groaned in pain but managed to get up and sit up next to Dick who was rolling his head slowly trying to not pass out, Jason pushed himself up pushing on Dick`s chest cruelly as he got up, Dick growled, "Jay-,"

"Just...shut up." Jason hissed, Dick pushed himself into a sitting position as Jason was standing on the sidewalk he dusted off his shirt and took a deep breath, "stay away from my team."

"Jason, I-," Dick said.

"Are you serious?!"

Jason and Dick turned to see Robin and Spoiler, both almost hidden in the shadows, Tim narrowed his eyes at them, "You two act like children, you cant hold peace for three days?"

Jason raised and eyebrow carelessly but Dick was the one to hop off the ruined car roof and speak to Tim, "Robin this doesn't c-,"

"The hell it does." Tim hissed, "I`m not stupid, I`m not three and weather you like it or not this concurs every one!"

"Wrong." Jason growled, "It doesn't concern me, I`m out of here, see you three later."

Jason started to walk away when Dick ran up and grabbed his wrist, "You are not leaving!"

"Don't touch me dicky!" Jason said ripping his arm away from the older boy, Tim rolled his eyes, "See you two cant go one minute without fighting, its pathetic!"

"You one to talk," Jason spat, "what are you doing with her the only person you should be teaching is Ace, and I`m still worried about that."

"Shut the fuck up Jason, I`m so close to killing you and crossing that line it`s not even funny!" Dick spat, Tim folded his arms over his chest, "I don't need you to defend my Nightwing, I`m not your responsibility!"

"Your right, your not but if your going o hang out with this lunatic and his delusional friends then someone has to watch you." Dick stated plainly, Tim scoffed in disbelieve, "Please, like hanging around you is the highlight of my damn life, who knows you might want to fake my death."

"Enough!"

Roy and Starfire jumped down in between the three and Spoiler hand a hand on Robin`s shoulder urging him to back off and walk away, Roy glared at them, "No wonder this place is the meaning of hell! The people protecting it cant get their shit together, were leaving, every one just needs to cool the hell off!"

"Agreed." Starfire nodded, Spoiler stared to coax Tim away and they were the first to disappear, Jason glared at Dick who sent the look right back, suddenly the acrobat flicked his helmet and jumped off, Jason took step in the man`s direction but thought better of it and decided to let that hate boil for next time.

XXXXXX

He wasn't waiting till Thursday, hell no, that would be stupid and crazy, he was leaving today there wasn't any reason for him to stay, his injuries from Joker were minor. His suit was fine and now it was time to go. Alfred, Bruce, Tim, Barbara...Dick, they probably knew he was gone now, not that anyone was their. Only the dog. Alfred was usually in the cave, Bruce was out with Tim and Dick checking the case Professor Pym case while he, Roy and Starfire took care to the guy who eats faces.

Lucky them.

seeing as the dead man had both counts of both completely different cases it was obvious there was more going on and even more obvious they`d probably meet again.

Just a few hours ago Tim, Dick and Batman had found Pym but of course he had escaped after sending a few of masked men that Batman had kindly taken the time to tell them were dolltrons, these men were being controlled, similar to the mad hatter, just creepier.

The tension between the groups was...uneasy but it gave a clear statement one that Bruce was the only one unhappy with, this was a race, the first to solve it was the winner. may the best team win apparently, while Roy and Kori argued weather this was a good idea or not Batman was scolding Tim and Dick who were still upset with each other. Good.

But in those few hours they`d gotten a witness, someone who could tell them Pym`s side of the story, maybe even their own guy`s problem. so they were going to go and find the two witnesses tonight, Gotham`s general hospital.

So far there were four victims of the face eater, witch is what They were calling him till they had a real name to the guy, they victims were all working or were connected threw a Dolltron to Pym. Was this guy going after what they were. if he was to bad for him, but that meant bad news for the two witnesses, they both had the make implanted on their faces, they might be in bigger trouble then they originally thought if this guy was going after Pym`s men.

Jason, Roy and Starfire frowned, "Well," Jason sighed as they saw the dead man in the hospital bed, "That gives us one soon-to-be protected witness."

Starfire opened the door to the room and looked out, glancing the halls up and down, "I disagree."

Jason and Roy ran to the door and growled inwardly seeing the door next door to the other witness was open, hand cuffs lay just in the door way, Roy shrugged and seemed to find one silver lining after checking the room for a body, "no one, so, we got a crazy running the halls lets go find `em."

"Split up team." Jason nodded disappearing down the halls, he couldn't help smile at the fact that in just a few short hours of Bruce giving the order to stay benched till Thursday, just three days away, each one of them managed to break that request in a just under two hours, that had to be a record.


	25. Chapter 25

As he snuck down the hospital halls, slowly, carefully, it didn't really dawn on him that he wasn't really paining attention to anything at the moment. His head should be in the game, but it wasn't. So far his decision to fix his past, if not fully then just enough to let him sleep at night, but Robin and Nightwing were making that harder then he thought and the fact was he really didn't want to reconnect with Dick, more like punch him in the face.

Him and Bruce hadn't spoken face to face since their truce or what ever it could be called, that was to be excepted. other then that the things in the "Family" seemed to shift from bad-worse- kinda okay- and then worse again. it was a roller coaster and it was pretty. At first he got the thought to just skip town with Roy and Kori and be on their way, there were to many people on this case, or in the city more like it, but doing that would have made him feel coward-ish. it would have been better to leave, maybe just for Roy and Kori`s sake as much as his own, just so they wouldn't get pulled into family feud with him, again he decided to stay.

Would Karma get him for that? Most likely, not that he believed in it but still it was something to blame for the things that happened around here. The term do something bad and it`ll come back and bite your ass ten times harder also seemed to apply in their life's. Yet after all of that he chose to stay because he like the fact he caused discomfort between his, once again, "Family".

Maybe this whole mending broken fences thing wasn't such a good idea, three is a crowd but a whole group of bats and their attachments was a pain in his ass. maybe he just didn't have time in his life or career as and vigilante for more people in his life.

the sound of fighting brought him back to reality, it always did. his grip on his guns and saw the two swinging doors close, he sighed pushed the door`s aside as two police men tried to detain the girl who fought back quiet well for someone who looked like she had never fought before despite the mask that had been glued to her face.

"Let me go!" the girl cried out while Jason raised his gun and shot the first cop who dropped to the floor startling both girl and the other cop enough to make the man drop his own gun, but Jason still shot him. "Hey, kid, I may not be the best person to take advice from in this area but running isn't going to help you."

The girl just stared at him ridged and tears draining from her eyes, Jason blinked and pressed the com in the side of his mask, "Guy I`m in the west wing parking lot, got the kid here, I`ll meet you guys back at base."

"Sure you got it from here?" Roy asked with a bit concern.

"Yeah, four mysterious people together is kind of a target, it`ll be easier to go in two`s hid in the shadows all that good stuff." Jason replied plainly glancing at the girl who was now holding her hands to her face.

"`Kay Rodger that, see you back at base." Roy replied quickly. "Arsenal out."

"okay," he said walking over to her, the girl jumped but didn't run, "Come on, you`ll be safe with us."

She just stared at him and Jason sighed, she was probably very confused, shocked and afraid. Almost uncertainly he took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, "Come on." he said a little bit softer, the girl didn't reply but she didn't argue either.

XXXXXXX

"Her name is Sasha," Kori said when Roy and Jason walked into the room. Kori was able to calm the girl down well enough that she felt comfortable around all of them. There wasn't much to find on the girl in research, only that the man that had been killed in the room next to her was her father. she was now sitting next to Kori her elbows on her knees and seemed to be doing much better from the scared girl she was.

"You know the man that did this to you?" Roy asked her as the archer sat in the chair across from her while Jason leaned against the wall his arms folded over his chest.

She shrugged, "Kind of, my uncle and papa weren't the type of people to make and honest dollar, that's why we moved, I didn't bother to learn anything from what my father did so I don't know much about who he was working for but all I know is that Pym is the one who did this to me, he did it to my papa first and then papa put my mask on, I guess something happened because I was still able to make my own choices and move but i didn't let them know that, played possum till we got to an abandoned circus near Gotham Docks, then Batman, robin and some other guy I didn't know came and helped me and papa. I-I told them not to help him, but- but they did just because he`s my dad, after got into the hospital I was really mad it was all his fault, everything he`s the one who worked with Pym s-so I got lose and I went in to his room and-,"

"You killed him." Jason nodded, the girl wrapped her arms around herself and looked away nodding, Jason blinked, "There weren't the usual evidence for the guy were after but still he would have come for you eventually so until you safe your sticking with us."

"Really?" Sasha asked, Kori nodded and brushed Sasha`s hair back, "You`ll be safe, you have my word."

"Means more then you think it does," Roy said, "But another question, these a guy hunting Pym`s people and probably the man himself do you know him, ever heard of a face eater?"

Sasha frowned and shook her head, "No, like I said I didn't know much about my papa`s work."

"It`s for the best, here." Jason said tossing her a small pistol, "if no ones around use that but trust me we`ll be around."

Sasha nodded, "I-I want to help."

The room instantly became silent, "What?" Roy and Jason asked at the same time, Sasha frowned, "I want to help take out Pym."

Jason narrowed his eyes while Roy listen off the many reasons why it was a bad idea, Kori just kept quiet like him as the two went back and fourth listing pros and cons.

"Okay." Jason said.

"What?" everyone looked at him in shock and or excitement but he just stood their, "I`ll get her ready."

"This is a terrible idea, "Roy growled. Kori shrugged, "opposed to the many good idea`s we've had?"

"point taken, but she`s just a kid!" Roy stated.

"I`m sixteen and I can do what i want." she hissed, Jason nodded, "The people have spoken, don't worry Roy, it`s only till Pym is gone and I`ll personally watch out for her, she`s under my protection no matter what."

Roy frowned at him and they stared back and forth for a minute before the archer sighed, "Fine, but I`ve got a bad feeling about this."

"Well you can take your bad feelings else where," Kori said standing up, "We have to find any more leads."

Jason nodded, "Kori`s right, lets head to the docks and see if we can find any leads to where Pym`s hiding now, once we find this guy we`ll dangle him on and hook for our face eater easy."

"No," Roy smirked, "Your staying here, remember Sasha's not field material, she doesn't even have and outfit, I thought she was under your wing here man."

Jason slapped Roy over the back of the head, "I hate you, but he`s right, come on Sasha."

Jason walked out the door and the girl followed quickly, "Were are we going?"

"Roof."

"Why?"

Jason looked over his shoulder, "Were going to spar."

XXXXXX

"I`m am not going easy on you just because your a girl, now come on and get up." Jason growled mocking the younger girl under his foot who was breathing heavily. Sasha shook her head, "Obviously! go away I need a break."

Jason frowned and sneering as he took his foot off of her stomach, "There are no breaks."

"There are for me." she shot back walking over to the edge of the building and draping her legs over the side after sitting down. Jason walked over and sat down beside her, "hey you said you wanted to help, I`m just showing you how not to get killed."

"I`m not complaining," She said folding her arms over her chest, "It`s just, this isn't easy, were did you learn all those things, I cant even remember half the stuff you showed me."

Jason chuckled running a hand threw his hair, "I had a persistent teacher, it`s either fight or die in Gotham, sorry about your luck its just how it is, this stuff may be hard and you may hate me for pushing you so hard but on the up side your not going to die so...that's something."

Sasha snorted and looked away, "Maybe."

"what's that supposed to mean?" he frowned at her, tossing her a water bottle so she would have to look him in the eyes or at least where he could read her expressions it was harder having that mask on her face, so he mostly had to rely on voice recognition. Sasha shrugged, "You said there`s someone after Pym`s men well maybe I don't have a chance at all, no one wants to really die but I mean if I do die, I wont have to worry where I`ll end up."

Jason sighed, the thought hadn't crossed his mind, both Sasha`s uncle and father were dead, and even if she had other family she still might end up in a place o one liked, the system. he was lucky enough to have Leslie house him for a while so he wouldn't have to be in the system for long, but for someone with out a person like her it was hard to get out of the system. And being who Sasha was, what happened to her, she wouldn't be accepted so easily if not at all.

"You`ll be fine kid." he said, they both knew he only said to have something to say, but hopefully he would find some way to mean it.

"Besides what about this thing?" Sasha asked bringing him out of his thoughts, Jason glanced over to see her tracing her fingers over her face. Jason shrugged, "why don't you take it off?"

"I-I`m scared, what if I rip it down to the bone, or make it to where no doctor can help me, if I leave it, I might dry up and fall off if I don't mess with it." Sasha said Jason nodded, "I get it, If you want to get it off then I might have someone who could help-,"

"Later." Sasha sighed, "We`ve got work to do."

Jason smirked at her, "kid, I like you." Sasha smiled brightly before they got up and took positions holding up their fist, Jason nodded to her and she nodded back she punched out and Jason side stepped it and instantly twisted it behind her back painfully, Sasha growled and Jason blinked cold blue eyes, "Come on we practiced this."

Sasha nodded vigorously and broke out with and flip and managed to land in a hand stand, summer saluted back and the second she was on her feet she brought her she swung her leg around and Jason had to lean back to avoid the kick. he jumped backwards to keep balance and landed on his back as Sasha ran at him, his feet his connected with her stomach but she quickly pushed off of his feet to land behind him by then Jason had quickly sat in a crouch position and sung his leg under her feet. she landed on her but with a thud and quickly started a level of mouthed curs words.

"Better." Jason said not portraying the fact her wanted to grin, he was a pretty good teacher. Sasha blinked in surprise, "Really?"

"I don't lie...much." he grinned and stood up, "work on some upper body real quick I need to call Roy and Star."

"Push ups?" Sasha asked.

"Hand stands." he corrected and Sasha growled the muttered curse words starting again but she didn't object, it took her a moment to get balanced but she managed to get it right once he kicked her wobbling arms into the right place, "Lock your arms." he instructed.

"Yeah yeah." she hissed from the effort. Jason rolled his eye and walked away further enough so Sasha wouldn't hear but close enough so he could watch and make sure she was okay.

"Arsenal, Starfire, you there?" Jason asked pressing the com in his ear since he didn't have his helmet on, only his eye-mask. There was slight buzzing sound before Starfire answered, "Hello Jason."

"Hey Kori," he sighed in relief but pressed his lips back together quickly, "so anything?"

"Actually a few things, a number of dead bodies are still here seeing that only two faces are eaten I`d say this man is losing his appetite, we did find a map, mostly gibberish." Kori muttered. Roy bumped into the conversation, "Yeah this guy wasn't sane in any way but what do they say bring a crazy to read crazy am I right, anyway your pal`s were snooping to, weren't to happy about the situation involving Sasha, but I came up with some very great puns I will use in the future gave Kori time to memorize the map before we left."

"Great, where`s the first place?" Jason asked, he hated siting out, it was insanely boring.

"down on fifth street just by Jock`o`s fun house. god what is it wit these guys and games?" Roy sighed in annoyance, "Oh how's the kid?"

"Not bad, she has potential and defiantly has the anger for it and raw potential, I was thinking," Jason sighed, "After this she wont have any one to go to so, I`m calling in a favor of and old friend."

"Us?" Kori asked, "I assumed we were you only friends."

"Ouch, but I do have something of a pass, but she cant go until face eater is gone I`m not putting both of them in danger." he said growling at the thought of it, "Leslie is the best person I can trust to protect Sasha, I`ll talk to her later about it until now we`ll met you guys there."

"10-4 fearless non-leader," Roy snickered in the com before cutting off along with Kori.

"Hey Jason?" Sasha asked sifting to sit with one leg crossed over the the other, when had she stopped the hand stands?

"When- never mind what?" He asked walking over to her, Sasha gave him a plain look, "I can see your very observant I feel so safe," she mocked Jason gestured for her to get to the point, she held something out to him and he didn't realize what it was till he held it in his hands, his chain. it was odd, he had forgotten this was even on, I must have fallen off when they were sparing, why he never realized he had it on had was a mystery to him but he put it back on none the less, "A family trinket." he said.

"Why is it shaped like a bat? what`s the R stand for?" she asked tilting her head, Jason stared at her, "you really don't know what prying means do you?" he asked She smirked mischievously, "Nope."

Jason walked over to the building edge and grabbed his hood and belt holding his guns, "Come on were meeting Roy and Kori."

"what? really?" Sasha asked, "No more training?"

"Yes more training but not now, here," Jason tossed her a outfit Kori had given him for the girl, it was extremely different from anything Kori wore now but he wasn't complaining that it covered everything, he tossed her a pair of goggles, "Hurry us Sasha, were on a time table here."

"Can I have a alias too?" she grinned brightly. Jason sighed, "You can have Roy`s last arm if you hurry up." he hissed impatiently.

IT didn't take long for her to come back up smiling, and snapping her goggles into place, "I have to admit, I look awesome." she snickered.

"Ready Sasha?" he asked.

"No Sasha, tonight I`m Scarlet." she smiled. Jason rolled his eyes and gestured for her to follow, "Keep up...scarlet."


	26. Chapter 26

Jason was trying to focus on every thing he could, the hidden corners of the halls, Roy, Kori, Sash- Scarlet as she wanted to be call for now. He was focusing harder then he thought picking up the almost non-excitant footsteps of his team. Even Kori was lightly putting her feet to the floor because of the way the tips of her hair seemed to react when she was flying, or hovering. They needed to get the upper hand before they burst out guns blazing.

He couldn't help but feel annoyed with himself at the fact Sasha was here, she was sixteen and yet meeting them had made her want to be here. Did they radiate crazy? Probably, he could almost feel the excitement coming off the teen, was it wrong bringing her here, yes. was it bad if he`d rather be fighting then stuck baby sitting, yes, and was it wrong that he knew he`d only have himself to blame if something happened to her, the objective was to keep her alive, not train her to be like them.

What was wrong with him?

someone put their foot a little harder on the floor then what they had been doing and he could tell Scarlet was veering away from the group, Jason spun around and grabbed the end of her cape just like Roy who had been behind her, they pulled her back harder then needed and she opened her mouth to protest only to have Roy place his hand over her mouth and press a finger to his lips, "Shh."

She pushed his hand away in annoyance and stood up, "I heard something." she whispered, pointing to the door they had passed, something he hadn't realized being lost in thought. Jason nodded to her and pressed his back to the door pushing on it just a bit to be able to see. the small glance let him see a good deal. he closed the door and the others looked at him.

"Are they Pym`s men?" Kori asked frowning, Jason nodded, "Yeah their loading crap into a truck, this obviously isn't their base of operations, but where ever that truck is going then that's where we need to be."

"Hard and fast." Roy said loading a handful of arrows into his arm, "Lets do this, Me and Jason will go low, Kori you and Sasha go high and stay out of your line of fire."

"It`s scarlet." Sasha frowned, Kori nodded and as did Sasha after he glared a warning to her over his shoulder.

"Pay attention kiddies, It`s going to get messy." Roy chuckled with a half smirk on his face. Jason and Roy took one step back before rolling threw the doors and sitting in a crouch when they stopped and fired, Kori and Scarlet were behind them firing as well, Roy was the first the jump into the open and Jason followed, Sasha not far behind and Kori gliding to stand on top of the truck and firing from there.

"Stay close kid." Jason his pulling her to his left and elbowing a man in the face and then kicking his legs breaking it imminently.

"I`m not a child, Why`d you teach me anything if you didn't think I could use any of it?" Sasha hissed jumping up and landing on a man`s shoulder snapping his neck with her heels pressed to his head before jumping off and landing beside him.

Jason chuckled grabbing a man around the neck and kicking out his legs before flipping him onto two other men tripping all three of them, "I taught you basic`s kid, don't get cocky, your still my responsibility till this is over, so shut up and fight!"

"Got it boss." she hissed back showing her elbow into someone noses, Jason shook his head but couldn't help but smirk.

He punched out and hit the man in the face the guy staggered back and suddenly someone kicked the guy across the face and Jason growled, staring at Nightwing, "You again, seriously."

"She shouldn't be here!" Nightwing growled, Jason chuckled, "You want to tell her that?"

Dick lunged at him and Jason jumped up and pushed Dick into the trucks side, but he wasn't called the acrobat for a reason, Dick flipped back and held his arms in and X shape and Jason brought his knee to the center of his arms, "is Dickey bird angry?" He snickered, venom seeping threw his lips. Dick narrowed his eyes and snaked his hands around Jason knee before he could put it down, "Don't call me that!" he hissed.

Jason smirked and slammed his foot to the ground making Nightwing lose balance and he pulled Dick`s hands behind his back, Dick instantly shoved his head into Jason`s, it hurt Dick more then it did him because of the hood but the older boy didn't stop when he pushed Jason back slamming him into the truck. Jason pulled up his feet and pushed dick away making the older boy stumble away Jason ran up and brought his foot over Dick`s but he was already ducking. Dick spun his hand under Jason`s foot.

Before he could loss his balance he placed his ands on Dick`s shoulders' and flipped over him, when Dick spun around Jason shot a flat hand over Dick`s throat Dick grabbed his wrist his face getting red from the sudden deprivation of oxygen, and wrapped his legs around his side and waist locking his other arm down as Dick Rolled to the ground and threw Jason down.

Suddenly the weight of Dick Grayson was off of him and He shock his head and had to blink twice to see Sasha had tackled Nightwing and had taken his cuffs and had cuffed him!

Dick had a baffled look on his face like he hadn't excepted her to be able to fight like a average witness. Jason stood up and nodded to her just as Nightwing rolled onto his back and into a sitting position, it wouldn't take long for him to get out of those cuff once they left, though he could delay. Jason raised his foot and just as quickly hit dick over the head knocking the acrobat out cold against the concrete.

XXXXXXXXX

they had taken and burned what wasn't useful in the truck, there was a map just like the one that had been in the base Kori and Roy had went to, they were right, gibberish. Going back to the safe house was the best option, they needed to look things over.

Sasha had fallen asleep on the spot on the couch next to him when he told her they`d wake her once they found something. Jason`s eyes scanned the paper and he became increasingly aware of Roy`s eyes on him, Jason looked up glaring daggers at the man. "What?" he growled. Roy`s eyes darted over to Sasha who had her back facing them and was snoring lightly.

"What about her?" he asked in a hushed voice realizing Roy wanted to keep this quiet. Roy leaned forward glancing at Kori who ignored their interactions and continued on her work with the map.

"Are you sure she`s going to Leslie`s after all this?" Roy asked. Jason frowned leaning forward as well and resting his elbows on his knees, "Why wouldn't she, there`s no where else? Leslies a good person, she saved your ass remember."

Roy nodded blinking, "Yeah, but I`m not talking about if Leslie`s the best option, I`m just saying is she the only option?"

Jason held back the urge to roll his eyes, "What are you talking about."

"Is Sasha joining us?" Kori said not looking up from the map, only when they stared at her did she raise one eyebrow to Roy, "That is what you meant?"

"Yeah," Roy nodded frowning then looked back to him to see a cold look on Jason`s face, "No, she`s not."

"Why? She`s not bad and she obviously loves the fighting." Roy argued. Jason shook his head, "Because, she sixteen and has a lot left to accomplish, working with us will only make the possibility for her to die more then likely."

"What if she doesn't want to leave?" Roy asked.

"She doesn't have a choice, I`m not going to be responsible for a kids blood on my hands." Jason snapped at the red head quietly. Roy hefted a small angry breath, "lets vote."

"What?" Jason and Kori asked with disbelieving looks on their faces, Roy nodded sitting a little taller, "Yeah, no one is leader here so, lets vote, all in favor of Sasha leaving." Roy blinked at Jason who crossed his arms over his chest, "This is stupid."

"Your stupid, just raise your damn hand if that's what you want." Roy growled in annoyance, Jason rolled his eyes and raised his hand only a little.

"All in favor of Sasha staying with us." Roy`s hand flashed in the air and Kori slowly followed Jason frowned at her, "Kori come on your not serious."

Kori shrugged, "Sasha should deiced for herself in the long run, not our vote, but if I have to chose it would be this, plus it would be nice to have another girl on the team, teen or not."

Jason pressed his hands to his face and slowly dragged them away before looking at the map again, "Fine I`ll ask her once this is over but we don't say anything till then."

"Deal." Roy and Kori nodded smiling a little, Kori got up and hugged his around his neck and he sighed, these people were growing on him to much. was that a good thing or not?


	27. Chapter 27

It had only been and hour after their conversation when Kori, the only one who seemed to be paying attention to the map, found something and related it to a few ancient things that Jason and Roy just nodded edging her to get to the point.

"His base is a map, this," she circled her finger over the map, "He plans to take all of this territory for himself."

Roy frowned, "He`s got to be smarter then that, taking all that territory will put a target on his back so big he wont be able to stand without getting shot." Kori nodded, "Yes but I`m sure he has a plan for that."

"What is that?" Jason asked raising and eyebrow, Kori shook her head once, "It doesn't say, but I know where he is, everything points to it now."

"where?" Roy blinked, Kori pointed to one of Gotham`s old museums, "Where else would you put an empire, if not in the middle."

Jason stood up and pulled on his jacket, "Okay lets go. If we found this then Bats would have maybe even quicker, we`ll be excepting company."

Roy and Kori nodded and Roy walked over to wake Sasha, "Wha-" she blinked a few times her eyes droopy and tired from little sleep.

"Time to go kiddo."

XXXXXXX

See while Batman and Robin had silence, the league had speech, and Young Justice had Miss M`gann`s mind link, they had small yet sharp nudges to their sides by once another and death glares exchanged, mostly between him and Roy. He was pushing him to talk to Sasha who was paying more attention to their surrounding then him and Roy. Kori just looked she wanted to slap them over the back of the head, but she settled for a gentle eye roll for the mission`s sake.

He wasn't afraid to say he was pouting a bit at the fact that Sasha was joining them, she was good yes and the idea of having another team mate was interesting but was it really their choice to take her life away?

Suddenly the sound of footsteps ahead told them one thing, time to go! Roy and Sasha were the two in front and they talked the two men first snapping their necks silently before following Jason and Kori down the way checking their backs, Jason didn't have a silencer on his guns nor did Kori on her own powers so their next move would bring every one to the fight. Great. Lets do this, he thought to himself.

At the first sight Jason flipped over the first man to let Roy have him, He twisted around the next man who punched out and missed him and pointed both guns in opposite directions to two men`s head`s he pulled the trigger for both and jumped up crashing a foot to some guys face and pushing him to the floor. He rolled between another`s legs as Kori barbequed the man on the floor.

He pulled his guns up and filled the man`s back with bullets, Jason rolled onto his hands and swung his foot cruelly across a man`s leg the sound of shattering bones filled the air along with the sound of fist, feet and bullets flying and the smell of blood, ash and rust. Jason pushed himself up and shot the whimpering man in the head before he pushed another man who ran at him, into the wall and his hands flew up a knife hitting the cold metal locked in the suits hard fabric metal in his upper arms. Jason kneed the man in the groin, punched him in the lower jaw and filled his gun so he was holding the barrel of it and brought it across the man`s throat crushing his larynx.

Jason looked around the fighting to see Sasha who was a good distance away from Roy or Kori, she wasn't part of the team yet and he still promised her he`d protect her, what a great way to keep that promise.

Jason ran over to her and unloaded a few bullets in a couple of men around her. She blinked threw red shaded goggles at him and he nodded his praise to her. she smiled brightly before spinning around and catching her heel to someone`s face.

Jason pulled to men together slamming their heads before tripping them. Someone shoved against him but when he turned around all he could see was the same fighting, he quickly wrote it off turning back to the fight.

"JASON!"

he spun around after kneeing another man in the stomach to see Sasha looking at Pym at the end of the hall, she was wait for his word, smart kid, "Sasha wait for-,"

He didn't get a chance to finished when his head snapped to the window and two people burst in, Nightwing, the guy just wound quite and Batgirl. Jason sighed and pointed the gun at their feet shooting warning shots, they leapt back, "You guys just don't settle for fuck off do you?"

Barbara narrowed her eyes and threw a batarag the gun flying from his hand, but it gave him a chance to see Sasha disappear around the corner of the hall After Pym. "Scarlet!" he hissed, Jason was instantly there on to the floor, his senses were clouded and it gave him the chance to act quickly, he shoved to knife into Barbara`s cape locking it to the floor and pulled on her belt grabbing a few smoke pellets and punching her in the face before blocking one of hers, he kicked her away and started to run after Sasha.

Quickly he threw the smoke pellets over his shoulder, he wasn't worried about Kori and Roy at the moment, that was pushed to the back of his mind as he rounded the corner his feet sliding on the tiles but he kept balance jumping the stairs in one go landing with a thud and then jumping down the middle of the flight gliding down for only a second before hitting bottom and crashing threw the rusted door to the boiler room.

He slid into the room and stopped his eyes narrowed to see Pym dead on the floor near the wall, but he was more then curtain that Sasha didn't do it, he was instantly by her side pointing his last gun at a tall lanky man, his clothes screamed crazy...and pink. a whip with iron spikes sticking to the end and base dangled in his hand, Jason smirked, "So, your the face eater right?"

The man raised and eyes brow ignoring him, "how can you stand by that thing?"

Jason blinked looking at Sasha who glared daggers at the man, he looked back to the man in pink, "she`s not the problem you are, so how are we going to do this power puff?"

"Excuse me?" the man hissed, Jason sighed and pointed his gun, "Listen I don't have time for this-,"

"Nor do I," Suddenly the whip was tangled around his wrist digging into his hand, he didn't let got of the gun thought, he was to stubborn to do that, He was pulled forward and expected a punch or jab but the man jumped over him and Jason stumbled with the whip into a computer system, desk, hard drive and all.

The man stood in front of him and pulled off his hood with a click, "Good your not once of the Dolltron, but she is, and she`s the last one, my job is easy Red hood, I kill every last one of them, get in my way and I will kill you as well." The man turned around and Jason lunged at him and they hit the floor rolling, Jason kicked off of the man`s stomach and the two stood against the man who smiled, "This is going to be interesting."

Jason and Scarlet glance at each other before running at the man and punching him in unison.


	28. Chapter 28

Jason swung his foot under the man`s leg and when he started to fall, He sent a sharp knee to his head. The man rolled back two his feet and Jason ran up flipping over him and punching him in the back while Sasha threw a few to his face and sides. The man hissed and threw his knee into Sasha`s gut and gabbed her sharply in the sides before ducking and sweeping his feet under both of them.

They didn't hit the floor at the same time because the man, who they found out was the...flamingo, guess all the good names were taken, the flamingo wiped the lasso around Jason`s waist and pulled him back up, Jason ducked a punch and got a good shot at flamingo`s side but the man threw a heated punch into his stomach and stepped on his foot when the was trying to move, this made him lose balance quickly and the man swung him around and released the wipe.

Jason stumbled into a roll but misjudged the distance and ended up colliding with a wall, he groaned and reached to the gun h had dropped sometime before then. He slid around on his knee`s and pointed the gun, the sight of Sasha struggling to breath with the man`s foot on her throat wasn't helping control his anger, that he knew was a good thing. it had gotten him this far. Jason pulled the trigger and narrowed his eyes when the man cracked his whip against the flying bullets, this man wasn't a joke, his name might be but his aim and training were hard core.

Instead Jason pointed to the pipe next to the man ignoring Sasha`s gasp for air and the man breaking her wrist with his other foot, he shot and steam hit the man pushing him far enough away from a gasping Sasha while Jason ran up and grabbed his shoulders swung around him, let go, leapt off a to close wall for his liking and back at the man, wrapping his arms around his waist and holding him so he`d hit the ground harder then he would.

Jason pushed off of the man`s back and at a good distance bringing his foot back around over the man`s face, Sasha ran over to him and he grabbed her hands spinning her around once and letting go, she was very close to the man so when the bottom of her boots hit the man in the chest, he`d feel it.

It was getting harder and harder to keep this man on his feet and the longer he was the harder he seemed to hit. granted he and Sasha hit more often and even harder because of how angry both of them were and that only gave power to their hits but this man was something else, if anything it reminded him a lot of Slade. and that wasn't a good comparison. not for them.

what he found more irritating was that Flamingo was sending most of his attacks at Sasha, tearing her down from top to bottom quickly before he was on the floor again, most of the attacks trained on him were shock and disorientation. like the man had said Sasha was the main target, but the more he tried to keep the girl away the harder Flamingo fought, and he was wining.

Flamingo threw Sasha into him and they tumbled onto the floor, something wrapped around his waist and the moment he looked up seeing Flamingo holding the end of the whip, he pressed on the whips handle and bolts of electricity shot threw his system, he was down against the floor struggling to breath and pulled the whip off of him.

But it continued to dig into his skin, he barley noticed it had stopped before his head rolled against the floor, his cheek pressed against the cold material that was keeping him from passing out from pain.

The sound of fighting bright him back once again but it was fuzzy at best, but he heard the sound of choking and instantly jumped for that knocking Sasha from the man`s hands wrapped around her throat and they hit the floor once more, this was were flamingo was vulnerable Jason threw a punched at the man`s face once, twice, three times before Flamingo managed to kick him off and they stood, the man held his gun, Jason`s gun in hand. the man was running on steam as was he, but the way the gun shook dodging the bullet would be easy.

The gun suddenly turned and went off not even coming close to him. A sickness hit his chest as he spun his head around to see Sasha holding her hand to her stomach, blood pulsed past and over her fingers.

"NO!" he hissed, Jason ran at the man and slid under him, flamingo felon top of him and Jason threw him up into the air, working as a team with Kori and Roy, you could feel they were there, that's what he was counting on, Kori caught the man under the jaw with a hard punch truing him as he hit the ceiling, once he landed on the ground on his Knees Did Jason slid over to him and wrap the whip that lay on the floor around flamingo`s neck. Jason pulled tightly leaned back so the arrows that pieced the man`s body didn't hit him.

The warm blood was a different story. But he didn't care, Jason stumbled over to Sasha and helped her sit up but ended up having to hold her up her arms refusing to work, "Jaso-."she gasped her lips moving slightly.

"No, no, no, come on Sasha I promised you I`d get you threw this, help me do that, stay awake, we`ll- I`ll get you to Leslie's and you`ll be okay." Jason told her, her brown eyes searched his face desperately, "Was- Was I going to be one of you...ever?"

"Yeah, yes you are your part of this team, come on lets get you up." he stuttered rapidly choking on his own words like he was drowning, Sasha shook her head, "o- okay, just give `e a sec." she muttered, "I`m g-Glad I-I could help just wish I had longer time to be with you guys its-"

Her eyes closed slowly and Jason shook his head pressing his hand to the side of her face as blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, "Sasha..."

"Jason, W-We have to go." Kori begged him to get up, he pressed his eyes closed, they had to go.

"Jason we didn't leave those bats much to deal with, this mission, this case," Roy hissed leaning down beside him and grabbing his shoulder, "This city...its over, it`s time to go." Roy hissed the last word into his ear and it help a little, he got up and numbly grabbed his mask and raced out of the build with his team.

He didn't look back.


	29. Chapter 29

After they left the building Kori flew them to their safe house in star city where they got their bikes and started heading back to Virginia. The trip was quiet, only small glances were exchanged between them. weather they weren't morning Sasha who would have been part of this team and was even if only for a short time.

The moment they had left was when the guilt started to seep into his chest and spread the coldness threw his veins, he was so used to it but this, this time it was different, He promised Sasha protection and yet he failed her. In her case, she was never supposed to die, she trusted him and he completely let her down because he couldn't beat some stupid guy in pink, he was in more ways then one pathetic.

After getting to the house the sun had come, gone come again and it was now mid day. he speed walked threw the door, threw his things onto the floor by the sofa and headed upstairs locking him self in the restroom. There he washed the blood, both his, Sasha's and flamingo`s off of his hands. he could still hear Kori and Roy talking under the muffled sound of running water.

He didn't care, slowly he pulled off the top part of his suit and ran his fingers over the bruises left by the whip when it had shocked him their was a almost a clear imprint of the whip going around his waist and if he could see behind he back that's where it would have connected. Un-like some things it would heal. he ran his hand down the thick scar on his side, it wouldn't ever go away just like the few on his back upper chest and thighs from getting beat to death, their was still a small scar on the back of his hand from when Bruce had broken it after stopping the gun from killing himself, Joker and Batman.

their were very few faded ones from his Robin years but those were done, meaningless. Jason slowly stepped into the shower and let the hot water slide down his back and front, drench his black hair and burn his fresh bruise.

Jason stayed their for a while, losing himself in thought and it was driving him crazy. Things seemed to be taken from him the moment they arrived, at least anything good, he was surrounded by death, mostly at his own hands but those his wished to be safe seemed to be the first to go, it was a miracle Kori and Roy weren't dead yet, maybe they thought the same.

Having this messed up of a life, it was... unnatural so the fact they found each other, but who`s to say this make shift family they had was every really going to work?

XXXXXXX

_"Jason!" _

_Jason gasped against the pain that was sent threw his body, none the less he still reached out for Sasha, he was so close! he could fell the blood running down his skin and soaking his suit, everything hurt, it was like he was burning on the inside, "Jason help me!" _

_He lunged of her but with a scream that could have been mourned in hell she was gone and he was falling again. He didn't know where he was or how he`d gotten here but he wanted out. "JASON!"_

_"Where are you!" he yelled out desperately searching for something, Suddenly someone jumped out laughing and giggling insanely and Jason leapt for the maniac, they hit the floor and Jason`s hands were tight around the man`s skinny neck, Joker continued to laugh and giggled, somewhere in the dark of it all Jason pulled out his blade and started at the man`s chest over and over covering every inch of the mans body with gashes and gushing blood, only his face remained untouched, but something covered his eyes, something that wasn't their before. _

_Slowly he pulled the mask from the mans eye and gasped at familiar green eyes that belonged to the one and only Roy harper._

_"NO!" Jason ran off and ended up in a dark room, one light shining on a small frozen form, "Not you..." he shook his head and stumbled over to Kori and lifted her in his arms, "Kori..." _

_"Why Jason? How could you..." she cried tears draining from her eyes and down her bloody face. Jason pushed her hair back, "Please don't leave me, I`m so sorry, this is my fault, Sasha, you and Roy, just please don't leave me like this." he pleaded, begged but the green glow in Kori`s eyes faded and all he could do was hold her closer._

_"This is my fault." he said. _

Jason`s eyes snapped open and he bolted up right breathing deeply in his bed, a cold sweat had started in the middle of his sleep and had drenched his shirt and a few strands of black hair clung to his forehead. He could feel his heart pulsing and after a few moment it seemed to dull down and he was able to get a good grip on his surroundings, his eyes adjusted well to the darkness having been with it for so long.

He groaned inwardly and held his face in his heads, a nightmare, another one, this time Sasha was haunting his dream along with the more vivid images of his team`s death, something he caused obviously.

"No..." he shook his head, he wasn't going to get pulled into that possibility, he wasn't going to be drown with guilt and worry and spend every one of his nights in a cold sweat after a dream that seemed all to real and some times he wished it was...just to get it over with, just to stop fate from teasing him with something bound to happen sooner or later.

Jason got off the bed and pulled on a pair of dark jeans and a gray shirt, he grabbed his signature light brown jacket and threw it on. Quickly but quietly he went into the closet and pulled a few more thing out along with a backpack.

Jason snuck into Roy`s room glad to see he wasn't in there, and took one of his baseball caps putting it on. Jason slung the bag over his shoulder after stuffing his suit and helmet inside and headed downstairs.

There on the sofa was Roy and Kori, sound asleep leaning against the back of the couch and snoring peacefully. Jason sighed sadly, swallowing what ever had formed in the back of his throat and walked over to them. He leaned over and pulled the blanked further over Kori`s shoulders. She sifted and rubbed her eyes looking up at him, "Jason?" She asked sleepily.

"Shh," he said leaning down and kissing her forehead, "I`m going to get some things, I`ll see you in the morning."

"M`kay." she yawned and leaned back up against Roy and fell asleep instantly. Jason smiled but it was soon muffed when he grabbed to paper on the coffee table and wrote down his note. he sent it down and after taking one long look at the only two people who really knew him in almost every way, before he closed the door behind him and pulled the cap on his head further down to hide his face while and pushed the bike far enough down the road so no one would hear it start, then just like that, he was gone.

XXXXXXX

Roy and Kori sat on the sofa sharing confused and betrayed glances while the note in their hands was the only thing they had that told them what had happened to Jason.

The note only read two words: **_I quit._**

**A/N: Hey people :D Check out the poll on my page. ^^V**


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